Sachin Siwach, one of India’s leading medal hopes in boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2026, overcame a stern test from Canada’s Keoma Al-Ahmadieh to reach the round of 16 on Saturday. Fighting in the men’s first-round bout at the SEC Centre, the 26-year-old from Bhiwani secured a hard-fought 4-1 split decision to move into the pre-quarterfinals stage of the competition.
The win mattered not just for progression but also for momentum, with Sachin navigating a tricky contest against an opponent he knew well. Despite having beaten Al-Ahmadieh twice previously—at the Boxam Tournament in Spain earlier this year and at the World Cup in Kazakhstan last year—Sachin had to dig deep to come through this time and keep his Commonwealth Games campaign on track.
Next up, Sachin will face England’s William Hewitt in the round of 16.
How Sachin Siwach turned the fight around
The bout began with Sachin on the back foot as Al-Ahmadieh looked sharper in the opening exchanges. Sachin made a sluggish start, missing an attempted right hook, before the Canadian landed a right jab to the Indian’s face. With Al-Ahmadieh pressing early and forcing Sachin to react, the first round was tight and demanded a response from the Indian boxer.
Sachin gradually settled as the round progressed, leaning on crisp counter-punching with both hands to regain control. His accuracy late in the round proved decisive on the scorecards, as he edged it 3-2. Three judges awarded Sachin a 10-9 score, giving him a narrow but important foothold in a contest that had started uncomfortably.
Al-Ahmadieh, trailing after the opening round, increased the intensity in the second. He took the centre of the ring and tried to dictate the pace, looking to force Sachin into exchanges. Sachin, however, stayed composed and relied on nimble footwork to evade attacks before repeatedly catching the Canadian with swift counter combinations.
That tactical discipline was reflected in the scoring: Sachin earned a unanimous 10-9 verdict from all five judges in the second round, a swing that gave him a crucial cushion on the cards heading into the final three minutes.
In the third round, Al-Ahmadieh mounted another spirited challenge, pushing the pace in search of a late turnaround. Sachin absorbed the pressure and landed enough scoring blows to stay in control of the contest, ultimately sealing a deserved 4-1 split decision victory and booking his place in the round of 16.
After the bout, Sachin acknowledged the difficulty of the challenge while also pointing to the confidence he carried from previous meetings with the Canadian. “It was a tough bout but I had beaten him twice before so I was pretty confident,” Sachin told PTI. “It was important for me to defeat him today because it was at the Commonwealth Games.”
What’s next: Round of 16 vs William Hewitt
With the first-round hurdle cleared, Sachin’s focus now shifts to England’s William Hewitt in the round of 16. The result against Al-Ahmadieh underlined the fine margins at this stage of the Commonwealth Games boxing tournament, with Sachin needing to recover from a slow start and then build control through counter-punching and composure.
For India, Sachin’s progression keeps a major medal prospect firmly in contention as the competition moves into the knockout rounds, where every bout carries increased stakes and less room for error.
