Women's World Boxing Championships: Nikhat Zareen Starts Campaign With Scintillating Win

16.03.2023 - 14:19 sports.ndtv.com

Ace Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen started the defence of her title with an emphatic RSC (referee stops contest) win over Anakhanim Ismayilova in the opening round of the Women's World Championships in New Delhi on Thursday.

The tournament started with home favourite Nikhat's bout and the pugilist did not disappoint. Competing in the 50kg category, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist took her time to judge her opponent, but once she figured out the Azerbaijan boxer's game, there was no stopping her.

Nikhat, who is unseeded despite being the reigning champion, was at her aggressive best as she landed a flurry of combination punches on her opponent.

Such was the Indian's domination that the referee had to give Ismayilova the 'count' thrice before stopping the contest in the second round.

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Nikhat Zareen on Sunday became only the second Indian boxer to win more than one gold medals at the World Championships, emulating the legendary Mary Kom. Zareen had won the world title in 2022 in the 52 kg category, this time she won it in 50kg category. Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain made it a golden Sunday for India at the Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi. While Nikhat Zareen won the gold in the 50kg category, Lovlina Borgohain clinched the yellow metal in the 75kg category. Nikhat Zareen registered a 5-0 victory in the final bout against Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Tam to claim India's third gold in the tournament before Lovlina Borgohain won the summit clash against Australia's Caitlin Parker with a split 5-2 verdict. On Saturday, Indian pugilists Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) and Saweety Boora (81kg) had also won gold in their respective categories.

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Newly crowned world champion Nikhat Zareen is keen to use the experience gained in the recently concluded global event to qualify for the 2024 Olympics at the Asian Games scheduled later this year. The Asian Games are the first qualifying event for the Paris Olympics for the boxers of the continent. Nikhat, who won the 52kg world title last year, dropped down to the 50kg weight class as it is an Olympic category. "This tournament was a good experience. Especially in the 50kg category, which is an Olympic category. I didn't get seeding also I had to fight six bouts. But in the end, I have won a gold medal here and I am happy," Nikhat said.

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PM Modi Congratulates Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain For Winning Gold At World Boxing Championships

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain for winning gold at World Boxing Championships. India capped off an outstanding campaign by finishing with the highest gold medals (four) at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championship after the nation's illustrious pugilists Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain recorded stellar victories by contrasting margins in the finals at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi on Sunday.

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Nikhat Zareen continued to chart new highs in boxing after winning her second World Championships gold medal in New Delhi on Sunday. She beat Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Tam in the 50kg summit clash with a 5-0 verdict. The victory was all the more sweet for Nikhat as this is new weight category for the 26-year-old. Her earlier World Championship (2022) win came in the 52 kg category. She changed her weight category as 50kg class is included in Olympics. Nikhat becomes only the second Indian after the legendary MC Mary Kom to win the prestigious title twice.

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Nikhat Zareen will be buoyed by the home support as she fights the final bout to defend her world crown. And standing between her and the second world title is another fancied opponent -- two-time Asian champion Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam. For Nikhat, it's a chance to become only the second Indian to win the prestigious title more than once after the legendary MC Mary Kom, who has a record six titles to her name. Nikhat, who has moved down to 50kg from 52kg after the latter was scrapped from the Paris Olympics, has given a good account of herself in the light flyweight category. The 26-year-old arguably had the hardest path to the final among all Indian pugilists, having to fight strong opponents across five bouts in the highly-contested Olympic category.