SEA Games 2025: Danisha keeps chin up despite settling for boxing bronze

Singapore's Danisha Mathialagan (right) in action against Thailand's Yodwaree Thipsatcha in the women's 48kg semi-final on Dec 16. Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew

In a sport where you win by landing blows, boxer Danisha Mathialagan has received all kinds and always comes back stronger. 

But on Tuesday (Dec 16), she was dealt one so painful that it left her devastated. 
After the final round in her women’s 48kg semi-final against Thai boxer Thipsatcha Yodwaree, Danisha thought she would be one step closer to her goal of winning a SEA Games gold.

Instead, a split decision sent her opponent to the final and Danisha settled for a joint bronze medal. 

After taking a couple of minutes to compose herself, she said: “I was quite devastated. In my head, I thought I had it quite clear-cut. 

“When they gave the win to her, it was quite painful knowing that it was a split decision so it could have gone either way. 

“That’s the end of my SEA Games. The goal was a gold medal but it’s OK, you live to fight another day.” 

Still, she is proud to have helped to raise the profile of the sport. She made history at the Asian Games in 2023 by becoming Singapore’s first boxer to qualify for the Asiad since 1976. 

The 28-year-old also opted to work as a freelance embalmer instead of fulfilling a four-year bond with a local hospital so that she would have more time to train. 

While the increase in attention piled pressure on her, she hopes this will help the sport continue to grow in Singapore.

“Helping raise the profile did make me feel more pressure. But I’ve been working with a sports psychologist, so I’m able to shut off, tune out all this noise. 

“I don’t really care about the colour of the medal, it’s more for the sake of boxing because we’re really an underdog sport in Singapore. 

“Getting a win, proving to the other countries that we are on par – that means a lot, so the medal means something. 

“This whole period when we’ve been training constantly, it’s made us better boxers and better teammates. Hopefully, we can use that for the upcoming Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, and that will bring us to bigger stages.”

The 28-year-old was the first Singaporean boxer to qualify for the Asian Games since 1976 when she competed at the Asiad in 2023. Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew

But as someone who admits she loves challenges, Danisha knows she will have no issue bouncing back from this latest setback.
 
She said: “I’m just someone who loves challenges. Every time I have a setback, it’s like no, I’m going to get the next one. Boxing has helped me grow tons as a person in terms of confidence and how to embrace losses and challenges in life. 

“Don’t ever underestimate yourself. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt from this SEA Games is to really trust yourself, trust your team and embrace the process. When you look back 10, 15 years down the road, you won’t remember the colour of the medal, you’ll just remember all these experiences.” 

In other events, Ang Jin Yang also clinched a bronze in the men’s 54kg. Women’s 66kg boxer Leah-Diane Warden will feature in the final on Dec 19. 

The 33rd SEA Games are held in Thailand from 9 to 20 December 2025. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.