2 min readJul 23, 2026 03:14 PM IST
Star Indian pugilist Lovlina Borgohain is already assured of a medal for India at the Commonwealth Games 2026 without even stepping into the ring or landing a single punch. On Thursday, the day the CWG 2026 gets underway in Glasgow, the boxer from Assam received a direct entry into the semifinals of the women’s 75kg event, which guarantees her at least a bronze.
The Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist was handed a first-round bye in the five-boxer draw, automatically securing a place in the last four and assuring herself a podium finish. She will now take on Tuvalu’s Tarona Khanum Badi Pasoni (TKBP) Taafaki in the semifinal on July 31, with the winner advancing to the gold medal bout.
This will be Lovlina’s first Commonwealth Games medal and the only major multi-sport honour that had eluded her decorated career until now. The 28-year-old has already won medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games, and Asian Championships.
Since only five boxers are featuring in the women’s 75kg event, three of them – Lovlina, Taafaki, and Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree – received byes in the first round, which served as the quarterfinal. All three advanced to the semifinals without fighting.
England’s Mary Kate Smith and Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata will face each other in the only quarterfinal, with the winner taking on Greentree in the other semifinal.
In the previous edition in Birmingham in 2022, Lovlina had reached the quarterfinals of the light middleweight category, where she lost to Wales’ Rosie Eccles.
Along with weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina has also been named India’s flagbearer for Thursday’s opening ceremony.
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Boxing has been a key sport for India at the Commonwealth Games, yielding 44 medals for the country so far.
At the Glasgow event, as many as eight Indian boxers have received first-round byes. The likes of Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), and Preeti Pawar (54kg) are just one win away from securing medals.
