Antiguan and Barbudan boxer Zalaan Jan produced an impressive opening performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, powering into the round of 16 of the men’s 80-kilogram competition.
Jan secured his place among the final 16 competitors after defeating Malawi’s Happy Ngwira by referee stoppage in their round-of-32 contest at the SEC Centre in Glasgow on Saturday, July 25. (Caribbean Pulse)
Representing Antigua and Barbuda in the blue corner, Jan delivered a determined and aggressive performance, landing several strong punches against his Malawian opponent before the referee brought the contest to an end.
The victory marked a proud moment for Antigua and Barbuda and kept the country’s hopes alive in the boxing competition. Photographs from the contest showed Jan celebrating after securing the win and advancing to the next stage of the Games. (Reuters Connect)
Jan returned to the ring on Monday, July 27, for a difficult round-of-16 encounter against India’s Ankush Panghal.
The Indian boxer, a silver medalist at the 2025 World Boxing Cup Finals, controlled the three-round contest and was awarded a unanimous 5-0 points victory by the judges. The result sent Panghal into the quarterfinals and brought Jan’s Commonwealth Games campaign to an end. (Telangana Today)
Although Jan did not advance to the medal rounds, his opening victory and appearance among the competition’s final 16 represented another important achievement for Antiguan and Barbudan boxing.
