When the Gloves Are Off

She walked into a boxing gym at 11. Fourteen years later, Sakshi Chaudhary is an Army Havildar, Commonwealth gold medallist and a fighter who has rebuilt herself through injuries, brutal weight cuts and bouts of self-doubt. The latest chapter? A dominant 5-0 victory over England’s Ruby White, ending the Briton’s remarkable 68-match unbeaten run and sealing Commonwealth gold in Glasgow, recently. But medals tell only one side of Sakshi’s story. Behind the gloves is the mischievous little girl who discovered boxing, the street-fighter who had to learn restraint, and the athlete who kept getting back up when the odds and her own doubts told her not to.

When Virat backed her

“When it mattered most, Virat Kohli supported me with my training — taking care of my coaching, nutrition, physiotherapy, travel and all related needs. I am extremely thankful that he came into my life at that time, as he gave me a lot of inspiration.” For Sakshi, that support came at a crucial juncture, when her career needed more than punches and persistence.

The rough ride

Four years of shadow-boxing. Two missed Games. Three kilos shed. Two world champions beaten just to get there. Then came Glasgow — and Ruby White. The 5-0 shutout was not merely another victory. It was proof that Sakshi could stand across the ring from the best and make them blink first. “Commonwealth gold was just the start. Fighting top boxers gave me belief that I can take on anyone,” she says, already looking towards the Asian Games and Olympics. Her strategy is deceptively simple, “Keep the distance, let the footwork do the talking. Now my mission is conquering the close-range fight.”

From street-fighter to ring general

The trials changed everything. Beating the best in the country did more than earn Sakshi the India jersey, it made her trust her own game. Boxing, she says, calmed the street-fighter in her. But don’t mistake calm for softness. The aggression is still there on tap.

‘Trouble with a grin’

“Before boxing found me, I was trouble with a grin. First in every school race, first to throw a punch in the street. I was born a fighter — my brother knew it; the neighbourhood kids knew it. I'd come home to my mom fielding complaints: ‘Your girl nearly killed my child.’”

It was on May 1, 2012 that she started. By May 16th, she was at a state-level tournament. Just 15 days of training and she took silver, sobbing after losing the final. “Why did I lose? That loss decided my future,” she says. “In that moment I knew this is what I was meant to do. There was never a plan B. Boxing suited my nature, my aggression, my joy. It still does.” She adds, “The exposure, the adventure, the discipline — boxing gave me a mix of everything. I’m really thankful for the life I’ve been given.”

The injury that took potential wins away

2022 could have been her year — both Commonwealth and Asian Games in one season. Instead, a shoulder injury wiped them off the board. “It was extremely tough. Not just for me, for my whole family. The injury wasn’t healing and I was watching every major tournament slip away,” she recalls. What followed was a desperate search for doctors, physios, clinics across the country, with her family carrying the load.

Brutal weight cut

The toughest fight was outside the ring — dropping from 54 kg to 51 kg. “Cutting food made me irritable, I had to add extra workouts. That first month was brutal,” she admits. At 55-point-something kilos with almost no body fat, every gram was a battle. But the goal was bigger than the hunger. “Now my body has learned. What once took a month of pain now comes off quickly.”

‘Indian Army changed my game’

Ask her what changed her game and she has just two words: Indian Army. She joined in December 2022 and calls the Army Sports Institute “probably the best training in India.”

The secret weapon was sparring with boys. “They have more strength and endurance. So after that, when we spar with girls, it feels quite easy,” she says. “Every individual's specific needs are worked on there. And the Army's discipline is the absolute best.” Then there was the real Army training. “I learnt a lot of things there. It was very special for me. I was firing an AK-47. I followed all the discipline and routine — waking up early, going to classes. I learnt how to survive in hard situations, how to build a tent in the jungle,” she says. “But when we play boxing, we don't have to do Army training. We stay like a camp. We are normal athletes. Train in the morning, eat, rest, train in the evening. The soldier sharpens the boxer.”

There was another turning point. After a loss in the nationals in January a sports psychologist came on board. “She changed my mindset, my thinking, my game completely.”

Eyes on Asian Games

The national camp at NIS Patiala restarted on the 10th. “My body had gotten a bit weak, I had moved away from training for a short while, but now I’m back to following the same routine with discipline,” Sakshi says. “I am following everything strictly — my diet, my psychology sessions, my nutrition plan, proper rest. My entire schedule is in full swing. In the evening, I write my journal just like I used to before.”

The focus now is totally on the Asian Games. “We are planning for the opponents we will face. We will watch their bouts and build our strategy accordingly.”

Every coach left a punch

“I have worked with many coaches. My start was with Jagdish Singh Sir. My brother, Vineet Beniwal, also taught me a lot and he is still always with me. Then there were our Army coaches — Chotte Sir, Shamu Sir. And now in camp, Santiago Sir,” she says. “I have gotten to learn a lot from everyone — different things and new techniques. I really enjoyed working with all of them.”

And how does she celebrate her wins?

“At home, all my five aunts get together with my father, my brothers and sisters, and we celebrate family time and my medal,” she says.