Roshan Nathanial: From Indian Boxing to the International Professional Boxing Circuit

From competing in the Indian boxing environment to working behind the scenes in international professional boxing, Roshan Nathanial has built a career across coaching, athlete development, matchmaking and event management.

His journey has increasingly taken him beyond the domestic boxing circuit, with professional responsibilities and boxing programmes involving India, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Australia. Through these roles, Nathanial has worked to connect Indian boxing talent with international competition and professional opportunities.

From Indian Boxing to a Broader Role in the Sport

Nathanial’s foundation in boxing began in India, where he developed as a boxer before moving into coaching and other professional roles within the sport.

His career subsequently expanded beyond training athletes. He became involved in the wider professional boxing ecosystem, including athlete preparation, matchmaking, event organisation and technical responsibilities.

That transition has allowed him to work on both sides of professional boxing—helping athletes prepare for competition while also contributing to the organisation and matchmaking of events in which they compete.

The Indian Boxing Council describes Team Roshan as an organisation started by former National Amateur Boxer Roshan Nathanial and founded in 2019 to provide professional boxers with a platform to showcase their skills and develop their careers.

Building Team Roshan Sports Promotion

The development of Team Roshan Sports Promotion became an important part of Nathanial’s professional journey.

The organisation has been associated with professional boxing activity involving athletes from India and international markets. According to the Indian Boxing Council, Team Roshan has conducted boxing shows in Dubai, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand and India.

The objective has been to create opportunities for professional boxers to compete, develop their careers and gain experience against opponents from different backgrounds.

For Indian boxers, international competition can be an important step in professional development. It provides exposure to different styles, competitive environments and opponents outside the domestic circuit.

The Move Into International Matchmaking

Nathanial’s role gradually expanded into international matchmaking and technical direction.

DJMC Boxing identifies him as its Match Maker / Technical Director, with responsibility within its professional boxing platform in Dubai.

Matchmaking is an important part of professional boxing. The process involves identifying suitable opponents while considering factors such as weight class, experience, records, competitive level and the development of the fighters involved.

For Nathanial, this role has provided a direct connection between athletes and international professional boxing events.

His professional work with DJMC has included events in Dubai, where Indian fighters have competed against international opponents.

Dubai Became an Important International Boxing Connection

Dubai has played a significant role in Nathanial’s international boxing career.

The city has developed into an important location for boxing events involving fighters from different countries, and Nathanial’s work with DJMC has placed him within that international environment.

One example came in September 2021, when Indian boxer Sachin Dekwal competed against Kenya’s Nicholas Mwangi for the WBA Asia East Lightweight title in Dubai. The WBA Asia record identifies DJMC Events, with Dunstan Rozairo and Roshan Nathanial, as the promoter of the event.

DJMC’s profile of Dekwal also identifies Nathanial as the boxer’s coach and manager/matchmaker and states that Dekwal trained under Nathanial’s guidance and mentorship.

The connection illustrates the different responsibilities Nathanial has undertaken within boxing—coaching an athlete while also being involved in the management and matchmaking side of the professional career.

Creating International Opportunities for Indian Boxers

A recurring theme in Nathanial’s work has been the movement of Indian boxing talent into international competition.

The Indian Boxing Council has highlighted several boxers associated with Team Roshan, including Urvashi Singh, Sachin Dekwal, Sarjubala Devi and Laldingliana.

The organisation’s international activity has provided a platform for Indian athletes to compete outside India and build professional experience.

The importance of that pathway can be seen in the careers of individual boxers.

Urvashi Singh, for example, was reported by the World Boxing Council as having started training at Roshan Boxing Academy, where she was encouraged and nurtured by Nathanial. The WBC subsequently described Singh as a WBC International titleholder.

Sachin Dekwal’s professional record also includes international championship competition in Dubai, with DJMC identifying Nathanial as his coach and manager/matchmaker.

Supporting Women’s Professional Boxing

Nathanial’s work has also intersected with the development of Indian women’s professional boxing.

Sarjubala Devi, a former Youth Amateur World Champion, has been associated with Team Roshan and DJMC’s professional boxing programme. DJMC identifies Nathanial as her boxing coach and manager/matchmaker.

In November 2022, The Times of India reported that Sarjubala had signed a fight-management contract with international matchmaker Roshan Nathanial ahead of a professional boxing event in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event also featured Urvashi Singh and Sachin Dekwal and included eight international fights.

The event was promoted by DJMC Events and Nathanial, who was also identified as the event’s Technical Director.

Such events helped bring Indian boxers into international cards rather than limiting their professional development to domestic competition.

From Dubai to Sri Lanka

Nathanial’s international work also extended into Sri Lanka.

The Colombo event in November 2022 was one example of an international professional boxing card featuring Indian fighters. According to The Times of India, the event included eight international fights and brought together fighters from India and other countries.

For boxing professionals, events of this nature create opportunities for athletes to gain experience in different countries while building relationships among promoters, managers, coaches and fighters.

This international network has been an important part of Nathanial’s career development.

A Role Beyond the Ring

While athletes receive most of the attention on fight night, professional boxing depends heavily on people working behind the scenes.

Coaches prepare fighters. Managers guide careers. Matchmakers identify opponents. Technical directors help oversee sporting requirements, while promoters create and organise events.

Nathanial’s career has crossed several of these functions.

His involvement with Team Roshan and DJMC has placed him in a position where athlete development and event organisation intersect. That has allowed him to work not only with individual fighters but also with the broader professional boxing infrastructure.

Recognition From the World Boxing Council

Nathanial’s work eventually expanded into the community-focused side of boxing.

In July 2023, the World Boxing Council and WBC Cares announced that Nathanial had been named a WBC Cares Ambassador for India. The announcement recognised his involvement in boxing and connected his work with the organisation’s wider mission of using boxing as a positive force in communities.

The appointment also created a connection between his professional boxing activities and charitable initiatives.

WBC Cares subsequently documented Nathanial’s involvement in the December 2023 Charity Showdown in Melbourne, Australia.

Taking International Boxing to Australia

Australia became another important chapter in Nathanial’s international boxing journey.

On December 15, 2023, Melbourne hosted the Charity Showdown, promoted by DJMC, Peter Maniatis, Dunstan Rozairo and Roshan Nathanial, according to the World Boxing Council.

Indian boxer Urvashi Singh competed against Thailand’s Thanchanok Phanan and retained her WBC International title while also securing the Asian Pacific belt, according to the WBC’s report of the event.

The event demonstrated how international boxing can bring athletes, promoters and sporting communities from different countries together on the same card.

For Nathanial, it represented another stage in a career that had expanded from Indian boxing into international professional boxing and community-focused sporting events.

Connecting Indian Talent With the International Circuit

One of the broader effects of Nathanial’s work has been the creation of connections between Indian boxers and international boxing markets.

India has a large amateur boxing tradition and a growing professional boxing community. Moving from domestic competition to the international professional circuit, however, requires access to suitable opponents, promoters, managers, coaches and competitive opportunities.

Nathanial’s work across these areas has placed him in a position to help bridge that gap.

His involvement with athletes such as Urvashi Singh, Sachin Dekwal and Sarjubala Devi provides examples of Indian fighters entering international professional environments through programmes and events connected with his work.

A Career Expanding Across Countries

Nathanial’s professional journey has increasingly become international in scope.

From his Indian boxing background, his work has expanded into professional events in Dubai and Sri Lanka and later into Australia. The Indian Boxing Council has also documented Team Roshan’s involvement in boxing events across several international markets, including the Philippines and Thailand.

Each market brings different boxing communities and competitive environments, creating opportunities for fighters to gain international experience and for sporting professionals to build cross-border relationships.

This international approach has become one of the defining characteristics of Nathanial’s career.

The Road Ahead

Roshan Nathanial’s journey reflects the changing structure of professional boxing, where a successful boxing career can extend well beyond the role of a fighter.

His progression from Indian boxing into coaching, athlete development, international matchmaking, technical direction and promotion has given him involvement across several levels of the sport.

The international events and athletes connected with his work show a continuing effort to create pathways between Indian boxing talent and professional opportunities abroad.

As boxing continues to develop across markets such as India, the Middle East and Australia, professionals who can connect athletes, promoters and international competitions are likely to remain an important part of the sport’s growth.

For Nathanial, the journey from Indian boxing to the international professional circuit has become a career built around one central idea: creating opportunities for boxers to compete, develop and reach new levels of the sport.