Jang Dong-hwan and Kim Min-seong, both from Korea National Sport University, have secured their spots in the finals of the men's boxing competition at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, guaranteeing at least two silver medals for South Korea.
On September 29, at the Nishio Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, both athletes won their respective semifinals by unanimous decision (5-0).
This achievement sets the stage for South Korea to pursue gold medals in two weight classes.
Jang, competing in the 60kg category, showcased his superior skills against Akmal Ubaidov of Tajikistan. Utilizing his trademark quick footwork, he landed precise scoring punches, earning perfect scores of 10 from all five judges in both the first and second rounds. In the third round, he even scored a knockdown, finishing the match with a decisive 5-0 victory (30-26, 30-26, 30-26, 30-26, 29-27).
Previously, Jang won a bronze medal at the U-23 Asian Boxing Championships held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in July and is now aiming for the top spot in this tournament.
In the subsequent 80kg semifinal, Kim Min-seong achieved a thrilling comeback victory against Hussein Al-Yashayshi of Jordan. After trailing in the first round, where he received unfavorable scores from three judges, Kim turned the tide in the second round with a crucial knockdown. He maintained his momentum in the third round, earning perfect scores from all five judges to win 5-0 (29-28, 30-27, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28).
With the strong performances of Jang and Kim, South Korean boxing has a chance to restore its pride. The last time South Korean male boxers won gold medals at the Asian Games was in 2014 at the Incheon Games, with Shin Jong-hoon in the 49kg category and Ham Sang-myung in the 56kg category.
In the following 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, South Korea failed to win any medals, and at the 2022 Hangzhou Games held in 2023, the only medal was a bronze by Jeong Jae-min in the 92kg category.
If either athlete wins gold, it will mark a return to the top for South Korean men's boxing after 12 years.
The finals will take place on October 2 at the same venue, with Jang facing Uzbekistan's Abdumalik Halokov and Kim competing against Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Erkinboev for the gold medal.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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