India’s historic boxing medal haul at CWG no coincidence: Coach Santiago Nieva

When you rejoined Indian boxing, what was the coaching philosophy you came with?

It was to have the discipline, a tactical understanding of where to manage the bout and things like how to manage the three distances; how to box from long where you are safer and out of reach for the opponent, how to get closer to the range where you can be effective, and how to defend in the close range where many boxers fail when stressed. Especially the long-distance boxers, who are not comfortable to come closer. The idea was to prepare them well for different situations that occurred during the bout, because the bout changes from the start of the first round over the course of the second, and especially in the third when both boxers are more tired. I think we are on the right track, I see improvements, and maybe that’s where we see the improved results. When I came to coach these girls, my focus was to avoid rough bouts and make them organised in attack and defence. It sounds boring but I told them that it’s the same as in football, where most of the teams score goals when they attack and also when they have a lot of players in good positions in defence.

The seven gold medals and three silver won by the pugilists makes India the top boxing contingent at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. (AP Photo)

How do you see the Asian Games challenge with boxing powerhouses like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China and Korea coming there?

We know that the challenge in Asian Games will be different. We had Asian Championships earlier this year where we faced most of the likely Asiad opponents. There might be some changes from China and Kazakhstan. We have faced them before and we know we can beat them. Our goal is to repeat what we did in the Asian Championships; we won four gold there and such a haul has not happened before in Asian Games. But we are going with good energy and aiming for a great performance. Obviously there are tough tournaments ahead but such performances (like CWG) help, knowing how it is to win a final and so on. After the Asian Games, there will be World Championships in April, which is an Olympic qualifier. That’s also very important for us.

Where do you see Indian boxers tactically and ring-IQ wise? How do you see the road ahead for the LA Olympics?

Indian women boxers won two gold and a silver and bronze at the Liverpool Worlds last year. That means we are on the right path, but the main task is to cut down mistakes. We have great help from video analysis, and are always updated about our opponents and our own performance. There are many things to make a boxer conscious about what they are doing in the ring, and many minor adjustments to be made. In part, we have succeeded in that area. We are getting results, which shows it’s not a coincidence. We have boxers who are at the highest level. We have a lot of competition in India for the top spot, and that competition makes them stronger.

What are your views on the five gold medal-winners in terms of their boxing style and tactical brilliance?

I would term Preeti (54kg winner) an all-round boxer as she knows how to build attacks and stay disciplined in defence. Sakshi (51kg) manages the distance well with her long range and coupled with excellent footwork, she handled mid-distance and close-range boxers very well. Jaismine’s (57kg) height and accuracy in landing hard punches from long distance makes her the top boxer in her category. Talking of Priya Ghanghas in 60kg, I would call her a gritty boxer. She has strength and an excellent jab and footwork. Our tactics for her are to slow down the bout and put pressure on the opponent physically, and she has shown that in her two come-from-behind wins. Same goes for Arundhati. She has very good long-distance punches and maintains her composure, rather than burning her energy in the 70kg division. She understands the need to stay at a long distance and avoid tangles.