World Championship bronze medallist boxers Deepak Bhoria (51kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) were named in the Indian men's boxing team for the upcoming 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The Asian Games boxing competitions assume greater significance this year and will serve as the first Olympic Qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Games for the pugilists from the continent.
Reigning Asian Games champion Amit Panghal will, however, won't be seen defending his title with the young Deepak Bhoria getting the nod instead in the men's 51kg section. He lost his position under the Boxing Federation of India's (BFI) new selection policy that evaluates a boxer on various parameters over two-three weeks.
In the women's section, the 2022 Worlds bronze medallist Parveen Hooda (57kg), Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Arundhati Chaudhary and Preeti Pawar joined star boxers Nikhat Zareen (51kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg).
Reigning world champion in women's 48kg Nitu Ghanghas, on the other hand, will not be in action at the Hangzhou Games. Having bulked up to the 54kg section in a bid to qualify for the Asian Games, Ghanghas lost out to the young Priti Pawar in assessments.