Sakshi Chaudhary opened her Asian Games 2026 campaign in style. The Indian boxer defeated Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aira Villegas of the Philippines by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the women’s 51kg round of 32. The win came on Sakshi’s 23rd birthday in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

The victory sends Sakshi Chaudhary through to the pre-quarterfinals, setting up a tough round-of-16 clash against Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova on Thursday.

Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Winner	Sakshi Chaudhary (India)
Opponent	Aira Villegas (Philippines)
Category	Women’s 51kg
Round	Round of 32
Result	Unanimous 5-0 decision
Venue	Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Date	September 22, 2026 (Tuesday)
Special Note	Win came on Sakshi’s 23rd birthday
Next Opponent	Alua Balkibekova (Kazakhstan), Round of 16, Thursday

A Tough Draw From the Start

Sakshi Chaudhary faced one of the more challenging opening assignments in the women’s 51kg draw. Her opponent, Aira Villegas, had already won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the light flyweight category. On paper, this made the round of 32 feel more like a quarterfinal test.

Despite the tough draw, Sakshi delivered a composed and controlled performance from start to finish.

How the Fight Unfolded

Round 1: Fighting from the red corner, Sakshi started aggressively. She used her jab effectively and landed a series of clean punches, taking the opening round 5-0.

Round 2: Villegas raised the pressure and came out more aggressively. Sakshi responded with sharp counterattacks and continued to land clean shots, winning the round by another 5-0 margin.

Round 3: Sakshi adopted a more measured approach in the final round, picking her shots carefully while protecting her lead. Villegas landed a big left hook late in the round, but it wasn’t enough to change the result. Sakshi sealed a unanimous decision victory.

Sakshi Chaudhary’s Recent Form

This win adds to an already strong year for Sakshi Chaudhary. Her recent achievements include:

• Commonwealth Games gold medal — Glasgow
• World Boxing Cup gold medal
• Asian Games 2026 round of 32 win — over a Paris Olympic medallist

This consistent run of results shows her growing confidence on the international stage.

About Aira Villegas

Aira Villegas is an experienced Filipino boxer with a strong international record:

Detail	Information
Full Name	Aira Cordero Villegas
Nationality	Filipino
Born	August 1, 1995
Weight Class	Light flyweight
Olympic Result	Bronze medal, 2024 Paris Olympics
SEA Games Results	Silver (2025), Bronze (2019)

Her Olympic pedigree made her a dangerous opening-round opponent, which makes Sakshi’s win even more significant.

What’s Next for Sakshi Chaudhary

Sakshi Chaudhary now moves into the pre-quarterfinals, where she will meet Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova in the round of 16 on Thursday. Balkibekova is the reigning world champion in the category, making this the next big test of Sakshi’s campaign.

A win here would move Sakshi one step closer to a medal at the Asian Games 2026.

Why This Win Matters

Reason	Impact
Beat an Olympic medallist	Boosts Sakshi’s confidence heading into tougher rounds
Birthday victory	Adds an emotional, feel-good storyline to her campaign
Strong 2026 form	Builds on her Commonwealth Games and World Cup golds
Tough draw cleared early	Removes one of the toughest opponents from her side of the bracket

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