Liverpool: Minakshi Hooda punched her way to glory, in the World Boxing Championships 2025, to become the second Indian pugilist to win a gold medal with a comfortable victory in the final of the women's 48 kg in Liverpool on Sunday. 

The star pugilist from Haryana defeated Kazakhstan's Nazyrn Kyzaibay in the final to bag her first gold medal at the World Championships in the morning session.

The 24-year-old Minakshi joined Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), who won the final against Poland's Julia Szermeta, to win India's first gold medal in Liverpool late on Saturday night (IST).

Minakshi, who hails from the small village of Rurki in Rohtak district of Haryana, defeated Nazym Kyzaibay, the bronze medallist at the Paris Olympic Games, 4:1 to become the second Indian to win a gold medal in this event. Though the women's 48kg is a non-Olympic weight category and will not fuel ambitions for the 2028 Olympic Games, the World Championship crown will still serve as validation of her status as one of the top boxers in the world.

Jaismine (57kg) registered an identical 4:1 verdict against Poland’s Szermeta, the Paris Olympics silver medalist, in the final to become the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Boxing Championships 2025 in Liverpool.

Among other results, Nupur (80+kg) won a silver medal in Liverpool, while Pooja Rani (80kg) signed off with a bronze medal in the prestigious competition.

Earlier, Minakshi, Jaismine, and Nupur were at their dominant best in their respective semifinals to raise hope of multiple gold medals for India in Liverpool. Minakshi registered a commanding 5:0 win over Altantsetseg Lutsaikhan of Mongolia -- the 2023 World Championships silver medallist, Jaismine hammered Omailyn Carolina Alcala Cegovia of Venezuela 5:0, and Nupur proved too good for Turkey’s Seyma Duztas.

India has fielded a 20-member contingent at the inaugural World Championships being held under the aegis of the World Boxing, a recently formed international governing body for boxing, and is hoping for a good showing in both men's and women's events. (IANS)