Paris Olympics 2024: Will India's Olympic-bound boxers be on a medal binge? Exploring the history

The Paris Olympics are quickly coming, and the Indian contingent has high hopes this year. Expectations for gold are at an all-time high as some of the world's best athletes prepare to represent their country in Paris. Before the Olympics begin, let us take a look at how Indian boxers have stood out over the years, as well as the expectations of the category's stars.

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Paris Olympics 2024: Will India's hopes remain strong for gold in boxing?

From the 1948 London Olympics to the upcoming Paris Games in 2024, India has come a long route with when seven Indian boxers -- Rabin Bhatta, Benoy Bose, Robert Cranston, Mac Joachim, Babu Lall, John Nutall and Gene Raymond -- qualified for the Games. It was Lall who secured the first-ever win for India in boxing after he defeated Pakistan's Allan Monteiro in the Round of 32 clash before losing to Juan Evangelista Venegas in the next round. The big break for the Indian contingent came in 2008 when boxer Vijender Singh won a bronze medal in the middleweight category of the Beijing Olympics.

The Olympic schedule included women's boxing in London in 2012, and that year, renowned Mary Kom won India's second boxing medal, a bronze in the flyweight division. In Tokyo 2020, Lovlina Borgohain won her third Olympic boxing medal, taking home a bronze in the welterweight division.

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This year's boxing contingent features six top-tier boxers in the men's and women's spots. While some of them are yet to open their medal tally, their performance has been promising. 

Nikhat Zareen would be a talent to keep an eye on, but the highest expectations of a medal will be upon Amit Panghal. He is a multi-time gold medal winner in competitions like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Boxing Championships.

On the women's side, Lovlina Borgohain has bagged a bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Games, and she will be hungry to get the gold in Paris. Expect a good showcase from the Indian boxing contingent and at least one or two medals in the category.