With a largely fresh-faced squad, the Indian men’s boxing team would be in for a challenging time at the AIBA world championships starting here on Monday, up against a top-notch field but nonetheless hopeful of equalling or bettering the two medals secured in the previous edition.

World No. 1 Amit Panghal and Manish Kaushik are absent from the squad as they recover from an underwhelming Olympic campaign. Asian medal-winners Deepak Kumar (51kg), Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), and Sanjeet (92kg) form the experienced core of the new-look that flew off to the Serbian capital on October 20. While Sanjeet is the reigning Asian champion, Deepak is a former silver-medallist and Shiva is a record five-time podium finisher at the continental showpiece.