For Narender Berwal, the Commonwealth Games final in Glasgow was a reminder of how close sport can come to giving you everything you want — and then taking it away.
The Indian heavyweight had made his way into the +90kg final, only to finish with silver after losing to England’s Damar Thomas. The result hurt, but Berwal did not have much time to dwell on it. Another major tournament is already on the horizon, and he knows exactly what he wants from it.
Overview
Berwal has been part of the international boxing scene since his youth. His BoxRec record goes back to 2012, when he competed at the World Youth Championships. Over the years, he has faced some of the leading names in the heavyweight division and gained the experience that comes with competing at the highest level for more than a decade.
He reached the final of the 2012 World Youth Championships in the +91kg category and continued competing internationally in the years that followed.
One of the biggest moments of his senior career came at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Berwal won his opening bouts before reaching the semi-final, where he lost to Kazakhstan’s Kamshybek Kunkabayev. That result earned him an Asian Games bronze medal.
He continued to feature at major international competitions, including Olympic qualifiers and the World Boxing Championships, while also making a strong run at the 2025 World Boxing Cup Finals.
2026 Commonwealth Games: So Close to Gold
Glasgow gave Berwal another chance to fight for a major multi-sport title.
He began his Commonwealth Games campaign with a win over Seychelles’ Michael Seko and followed it with a semi-final victory against Trinidad and Tobago’s Nigel Paul.
That put him into the +90kg final against England’s Damar Thomas.
But the gold medal remained just out of reach. Thomas won the final 5–0, leaving Berwal with silver.
For Berwal, it was a disappointing way to end a campaign in which he had fought his way all the way to the final. But rather than allowing the result to become a setback, he has chosen to use it as motivation for what comes next.
Career Highlights:
2012: Reached the World Youth Championships final, +91kg.
2023: Bronze, Asian Games, +92kg.
2025: Reached the World Boxing Cup Finals.
2026: Silver, Commonwealth Games, +90kg.
Looking Ahead: Asian Games
Berwal does not need reminding of what it feels like to leave a major final without gold.
The Commonwealth Games silver has given him another reason to push harder as he prepares for the Asian Games. He has already stood on the Asian Games podium once, winning bronze in Hangzhou. This time, the ambition is bigger.
Gold.
The experience of Hangzhou, the disappointment of Glasgow and more than a decade of international boxing have all shaped Berwal’s journey. Now, he gets another chance to turn that experience into a stronger Asian Games campaign.
Bio Snapshot:
Full name: Narender Berwal
Born: 1994
Category: Men’s +90kg
Sport: Boxing
World Youth Championships: Silver, 2012
Asian Games: Bronze, 2023
World Boxing Cup Finals: Finalist, 2025
Commonwealth Games: Silver, 2026
Asian Games 2026
Target: Gold
The post From Asian Games Bronze to a Gold Target: The Narender Berwal Story appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
