India’s boxing squad has entered a crucial phase of Asian Games preparation at the NIS Patiala camp, where boxers from the Dominican Republic and Iran are providing international-standard sparring. The Asian Games begin in Japan on September 19, and the mixed training group gives Indian athletes a chance to face unfamiliar styles before competition starts.
The Dominican Republic has sent 10 boxers, including Paris Olympic bronze medallists Cristian Pinales and Junior Alcantara. Pinales, a medallist at 80kg, is training at a heavier weight, while Alcantara is working around the 55kg division. Three Iranian boxers have also joined the camp.
This kind of preparation is especially useful for the heavier weight classes, where suitable domestic sparring can be harder to find. Different footwork, timing and defensive habits can expose gaps that might not appear in familiar training sessions, allowing boxers and coaches to adjust before the pressure of a major event.
Patiala is only one step in the final build-up. The squad is scheduled to travel to Nagoya for another camp from September 9 to 16, combining final technical work with acclimatisation in Japan before the Games.
Medals cannot be promised by training alone, but the chance to work against Olympic-level opposition gives India a more demanding and useful lead-in. The aim is clear: arrive at the Asian Games sharper, better prepared and ready for the continent’s strongest boxers.