Heavyweight hero: Dina Islambekova is the new queen of Asian boxing

Kazakhstan’s Dina Islambekova won the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships, defeating India’s Alfiya Pathan in the final.

The tournament is being held in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

Small field in heavyweight division

Only three athletes competed in the over-80 kg weight class. Islambekova advanced to the final after defeating Oltinoy Sotimboeva of Uzbekistan in the semifinals.

With just three competitors in the division, Pathan reached the final after a single bout, ultimately securing the silver medal.

Dominant final performance

In the final, Islambekova delivered a dominant performance, scoring two knockdowns en route to victory. The win marked her second gold medal for Team Kazakhstan at this tournament.

The Asian Boxing Championships, organized by World Boxing, feature more than 200 athletes from over 25 countries competing across 20 medal events.

Kazakhstan is represented by 20 boxers, with competitors in every weight class.