CWG 2026: Preeti Pawar bags first boxing gold for India after battering Canada's Delgado in 54kg final

Preeti Pawar has won first gold medal for India in boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on August 1. Preeti Pawar crushed Canada's Scarlett Delgado 5-0 in the Women's 54kg final.

Preeti Pawar secures first boxing gold for India in Glasgow

Preeti Pawar weathered an early offensive from Scarlett Delgado with total composure, staying patient until she unlocked her own rhythm. Once in sync, the Indian pugilist began tagging the Canadian with surgical precision—highlighted by a sharp left hook, to sweep the opening frame on all five judges' cards.

Preeti Pawar downs Scarlett Delgado 5-0

Building on that momentum, Pawar returned for the second stanza with heightened aggression and pinpoint accuracy. A devastating flurry of clean combinations midway through the round overwhelmed Delgado, forcing the referee to administer a standing eight-count and handing Pawar another decisive 5-0 round to place her on the brink of glory.

Refusing to let up in the final three minutes, Pawar dictated the distance and kept her opponent strictly on the back foot. She punctuated her command of the ring with a blistering left hook-right hand pairing, leaving Delgado with no answers before the judges officially confirmed a unanimous decision to hand India its opening boxing gold of the Glasgow Games.

This gold medal marks yet another crowning moment in Preeti Pawar’s rise through the international ranks. Currently holding the World No. 3 spot in the bantamweight division, the Indian star continues to prove her status as an elite force every time she steps into the ring.

Preeti has only accelerated her momentum since then. Heading into this tournament, she racked up back-to-back gold medals at the 2025 World Boxing Cup Final and the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships.