Priya Ghanghas achieved a medal for India at the Asian Games 2026 after booking her place in the women’s 60kg semifinals. The 2026 Commonwealth Games gold medallist beat Tajikistan’s Mijgona Samadova in the quarter-final at Nishio Gymnasium, winning a tough battle after a difficult opening round.
Priya had already made an impressive start to her Asian Games campaign. The Indian boxer defeated South Korea’s Oh Yeon-ji, an Olympian and two-time world medallist, 5-0 in the round of 16. Her quarter-final against Samadova was another tough one, with a semifinal place and an assured medal at stake.
The contest did not begin as Priya would have liked. In the early rounds, Samadova won on a split 3-2 decision against the Indian boxer, putting early pressure on her. But Priya came back and took charge, turning the contest around with a composed and aggressive display in the following rounds.
In the final rounds, she was able to turn the tide and secured her victory in the final decision, advancing to the final four. Priya was more in tune, landed cleaner combinations, and took control over the exchanges.
The result also confirms another boxing medal for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Priya's quarterfinal was among India’s medal-clinching boxing matches on September 28, and the 20-year-old faced Samadova in the women’s 60kg class.
Priya Ghanghas makes another major achievement.
Priya is already making rapid progress on the international stage. Her 2026 Commonwealth Games gold became the first major breakthrough, and now she’s guaranteed an Asian Games medal.
The victory over Samadova is especially significant because Priya had already faced a high-quality opponent in Oh Yeon-ji earlier in the tournament. The Indian boxer defeated the South Korean 5-0 in the round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals.
Priya's ability to recover after losing the first round to Samadova also showed her composure under pressure. Instead of allowing the early setback to affect her approach, she changed the momentum in the next two rounds and secured the unanimous overall verdict.
Her semifinal will now offer India a chance to fight for a place in the gold-medal bout of women’s boxing.
Lovlina Borgohain Also Secures Medal
Priya became the second Indian boxer to win a medal at the Asian Games on Monday. Earlier in the day, bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain advanced to the women's 75kg semifinals after defeating South Korea's Seong Suyeon in the quarterfinal.
Lovlina's quarterfinal was also scheduled as a medal-clinching match at the Nishio Gymnasium, with the Indian boxer meeting Seong in the 75kg category.
The result adds to Lovlina’s Asian Games record after she won silver at the Hangzhou edition. She will now face Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova in the semifinal, according to the tournament report.
India’s growing boxing medal count.
Priya and Lovlina had a good day for India's boxing contingent. Parveen Hooda in the 65kg category, Ankush Panghal in the 80kg category, and Narender Berwal in the +90kg category had already secured semifinal berths on Sunday, according to the tournament report.
In addition to Priya reaching the semifinals, India's boxing team has further strengthened its medal tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. The Indian contingent entered September 28 with several important boxing matches scheduled at Nishio Gymnasium, including Priya's women's 60kg quarterfinal and Lovlina's women's 75kg quarterfinal.
Priya's next challenge will be in the semifinal, where she aims to continue her unbeaten run at the tournament and get closer to an Asian Games gold medal. Having already secured a podium finish, the Commonwealth Games champion can now focus on reaching the final and adding another major title to her growing international record.
Priya's progress is another boost to a boxing campaign that has already produced multiple semifinalists. Her comeback against Samadova ensures that the women's 60kg category will have an Indian presence in the medal rounds of the 2026 Asian Games.
