Parveen Hooda won the women’s 65kg boxing gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games on Friday, October 2, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin by a 3-2 split decision in Aichi, Japan.
The Parveen Hooda Asian Games gold completed a major competitive comeback for the 26-year-old Indian boxer. It also made her only the third Indian woman, after MC Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain, to win an Asian Games boxing title.
Parveen Hooda Asian Games gold decided by final round
Parveen began strongly, using her right jab and combinations to take the opening round on all five judges’ cards. Chen, a Paris Olympics bronze medallist and reigning Asian champion, responded in the second round with combinations that brought the contest level.
The final round decided the bout. Parveen continued pressing forward and used her footwork to escape pressure near the ropes. Three of the five judges backed the Indian boxer, producing the 3-2 split decision.
The two finalists embraced after the verdict. The close result gave Parveen her first Asian Games gold and one of the biggest titles of her career.
A return after a 22-month suspension
Parveen’s previous Asian Games bronze and Olympic quota were affected after she received a 22-month suspension for three whereabouts failures under anti-doping rules. Her suspension ended in May 2025.
After returning, she won the 60kg title at the BFI Cup and later secured gold at the World Boxing Cup in New Delhi. For the Asian Games in Japan, she moved into the 65kg division.
Her route to the final included a 5-0 victory over 2025 World Championships silver medallist Navbakhor Khamidova and another unanimous win over China’s Li Shu in the semifinal.
India records its best Asian Games boxing gold haul
Parveen’s victory formed part of a three-gold day for Indian boxing. Lovlina Borgohain won the women’s 75kg title and Ankush Panghal took the men’s 80kg gold.
NDTV, citing Press Trust of India, reported that India finished the boxing competition with six medals, including three golds—its best gold-medal performance in Asian Games boxing. India’s largest overall boxing haul remains nine medals from the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
For Parveen, the title restores her place on the continental podium after a difficult interruption to her career. Her narrow victory over an established opponent also confirms her competitiveness in the heavier 65kg division.
