Amit Panghal, the World Championship silver medal winner stood up to his track record on Wednesday, defeating Kharkhuu Enkhmandakh 3-2 in the 52kg quarter-finals of the 2021 ASBC Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai.

Vikas Krishan and Varinder also won, giving India two more medals to bring their total to 15 – the country's best-ever medal count at the Asian Championships, exceeding the 13 medals won in 2019.

Both Panghal and Enkhmandakh got off to a different start in the 52kg last-8 encounter. While the Indian fighter was cautious at first, the Mongolian fighter was combative from start. After a defensive beginning, Panghal swiftly changed gears as both boxers unleashed hard strikes in a fast-paced, furious contest. Panghal, the top seed, slipped past the adversary with some timed and precise blows. His strategic skill pushed him ahead of Enkhmandakh and flipped the game in his favor in a tight match.

Panghal, the reigning champion, advanced to the semi-finals with this victory, guaranteeing his third consecutive Asian Championships medal after gold in 2019 and bronze in 2017. Panghal will face Kazakh boxer Saken Bibossinov in the last four, whom he defeated in the 2019 World Championships semi-finals.

On Day 3 of the Championships that are co-hosted by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and the UAE Boxing Federation Varinder (60kg) thrashed Samuel Dela Cruz of the Philippines 5-0 in a one-sided quarter-final, giving India its 14th gold at the renowned tournament. He now will compete in the last four against Iran's Daniyal Shahbakhsh.

World Championships bronze medalist Krishan beat Iran's Moslem Malamir 4-1 in the 69kg semi-finals in the third Indian battle of the day. In the semi-finals, Vikas will fight top seed and defending champion Bobo Usmon Baturov of Uzbekistan.

Ten Indian women boxers, comprising six-time world champion MC Mary Kom (51kg), Simranjit (60kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine (57kg), Lalbuatsaihi (64kg), Pooja Rani (75kg), Monika (48kg), Saweety (81kg), and Anupama (+81kg), will compete in their individual semi-finals on Thursday.

Simranjit Kaur, who is headed to Tokyo, and two other fighters advanced to the semi-finals.

Women's team assured India a medal in each weight division, with Simranjit (60kg), Sakshi (54kg), and Jaismine (57kg) advancing to the last-4 stage with MC Mary Kom (51kg), Lalbuatsaihi (64kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), Pooja Rani (75kg), Monika (48kg), Saweety (81kg), and Anupama (+81kg) commencing their campaign in the semi-finals.

Simranjit, a World Championships bronze medalist from Punjab, knocked Uzbek boxer Raykhona Kodirova 4-1 in the 60kg quarter-finals to grab her second consecutive Asian Championship medal. Simrajit, who won a silver medal in the event's last edition in 2019, will face Rimma Volossenko of Kazakhstan in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Sakshi and Jasmine both won convincingly in their respective categories. While Sakshi defeated Tajik Ruhafzo Haqazarova 5-0 to advance to the last four, where she will face 2016 World Champion and top-seeded Kazakhstan Dina Zholaman, Jaismine defeated Mongolian Oyuntsetseg Yesugen 4-1 to secure her first Asian Championships medal. In the semi-finals, Jasmine will face Vladislava Kukhta of Kazakhstan.

Unubold Orkhontungalag, a newbie to the Mongolian national squad, defeated Sri Lanka's Sajeewa Nuwan in the light flyweight preliminary match (49kg).

The Mongolian had to participate in the day's second round against Kyrgyzstan's veteran Mirlan Turkbay Uulu, who won bronze in the previous event.

Although the Kyrgyz fighter seemed smaller than his Mongolian competitor, he struggled to keep the gap in the opening round. Turkbay Uulu stepped up the pressure in the second round, but his efforts were in vain as they were defeated in Dubai. Unubold will compete for the title against Uzbekistan's incumbent Asian Champion Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov.

The ongoing Championships have drawn 150 fighters from 17 countries, including powerful boxing countries like India, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and Kazakhstan.