New Delhi: It’s not often that a loss becomes one of the most defining moments in an athlete’s career. For Abhinash Jamwal, however, the narrow 3:4 split decision defeat to Shiva Thapa in the opening round of last year’s Boxing Nationals proved to be a turning point.
That setback ultimately drove him to claim the welterweight (65kg) National Championship title this year. In a stunning campaign, the 22-year-old avenged last year’s loss by defeating defending champion Thapa with a 5:0 unanimous decision in the semi-final in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh last week.
Along the way, he also triumphed over last year’s silver medalist and former Youth Champion Vanshaj Kumar, before sealing his title with a victory against 2023 bronze medalist Amit in the final.
“Despite that loss to Shiva bhai, it was my most memorable fight because I got to learn from him,” Jamwal told HT.
“What I learnt, I executed it this time. My coaches said that I should be using my left hand more and be more proactive with my footwork, walk around the ring, tire him and take the bout deep. I was just trying to apply these inputs to my training.”
With Indian male boxers returning with dwindling results at major tournaments, an encouraging campaign like Jamwal’s is bound to turn heads, especially in the backdrop of the sport’s uncertain future in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Last week, a promising Indian pugilist Nishant Dev has turned to professional boxing and it is likely several others will try to explore that route. Despite the looming cloud, Jamwal is only focused on building a reputation in the amateur circuit at the moment.
“I am trusting my training in the present and taking it one competition at a time and not thinking so much about the future. It is important for me to participate in World Championships, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics first.”
His maternal uncle Rajesh Bhaboria, who continues to be his confidante in life, encouraged Jamwal to use his athleticism and tall build to pursue a career in boxing. The Mandi-native was nine when he started training in a park under his basic coach Joginder Kumar, a police officer in the Punjab police force in Chandigarh.
“When I started in 2013, there were many inspiring boxers due to the 2012 London Olympics. I was motivated after seeing the likes of Shiva bhai, Vikas Krishan and Vijender Singh,” he said.
In 2014, he won gold at the state level that ensured his selection at the National Centre of Excellence, Rohtak where he currently trains.
Jamwal had featured in last year’s second Olympic qualifiers in Bangkok as a replacement for Thapa and put up a dominant show to defeat Lithuania’s Andriejus Lavrenovas with a unanimous decision before losing to Columbia’s Jose Manuel Viafara in the second round.
Purely on ability, Jamwal’s peers believe that more exposure and tournaments would have ensured a more successful campaign. Essentially, Jamwal’s National gold is his first major result but with the confidence of his peers and coaches, he also has the self-belief to get into the big leagues.
