Nikhat Zareen storms into World Boxing Cup final, secures first medal in 21 months

After an early exit at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nikhat has hardly competed at the international level, featuring only in the World Championships earlier this year.

“I am very happy, having won this bout. I was filled with nostalgia. I had become world champion in front of the home crowd, and today I won my semifinal and now I’m looking forward to the final against Chinese Taipei,” said Nikhat, who looked at ease despite a scrappy semi-final win.

Nikhat entered the arena to the loudest cheer for any boxer in the event so far, as school and college kids flocked to witness the two-time World Champion in action.

Slow start

However, she started slowly, gauging her opponent for the first 30 seconds before landing her first punch. Nikhat connected two more body blows before the Uzbek started clenching her, leading to multiple stoppages.

While Nikhat won the first round 4-1, the second round felt more like a wrestling bout than boxing. Nikhat connected two jabs in the first few seconds of the round, but both boxers fell over three times while clinching, making it a scrappy round.

Nikhat looked good in the third round with clean shots and better movements, and eventually clinched the bout 5-0.

“I know the first bout was not as per expectations, but I will take it. I have been preparing well, but it’s about time that the execution will also come by,” said Nikhat when asked about the scrappy nature of her bout.

Nikhat’s return to the international boxing arena hasn’t been rosy, and the experienced pugilist has struggled to regain her rhythm. She exited the World Championships in the quarter-finals against a familiar foe in Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu. However, she maintained that it is important for her not to give up after losses like the World Championships.

“You are coming back after a one-year break and still are a part of Team India. Then you win two bouts before losing to a very good boxer, a two-time Olympic silver medallist. I would appreciate that I didn’t give up,” Nikhat had said.

Nikhat will face Guo Yi-xuan of Chinese Taipei on Thursday in a bid to win her first major international gold medal after a wait of 32 months.

Jaismine enters another final

57 kg World champion Jaismine Lamboria continued her superb season with a dominant win over former Asian youth champion Ulzhan Sarsenbek of Kazakhstan.

Enjoying her height advantage and supreme rhythm, Jaismine was at her flowing best after a slow start to the round. She used her jabs and landed a few combinations on the Kazakh boxer to stamp her authority early in the bout.

It was clear after the second round that Jaismine was winning her bout and reaching yet another final in the best season of her career.

Jaismine, who recently returned with a world title from the World Championships, is looking ahead to another packed season next year. “World championships was a good experience for me. Although I didn’t have time to work oñ anything as there was less time between both tournaments. We have a very packed calendar next year with tournaments like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games,” she said after her bout.

Apart from Nikhat and Jaismine, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg) and Hitesh Gulia (70kg) entered the finals.

Among other Indians, Neeraj Phogat (65kg), Jugnoo (85kg) and Sumit Kundu (75kg) bowed out of the tournament, losing to Chinese Taipei’s Olympic and World championship bronze medallist Chen Nien-Chin, Yuldoshev Jasurbek of Uzbekistan and Poland’s Jarlinski Michal, respectively, in the semifinals to sign off with bronze medals.

As many as 15 Indian boxers will feature in their respective final bouts on Thursday.

Indian results:

Women’s 51 kg: Nikhat Zareen defeated Ganieva Glusevar of Uzbekistan 5-0
Women’s 57 kg: Jaismine Lamboria defeated Ulzhan Sarsenbek of Kazakhstan 5-0
Women’s 65 kg: Neeraj Phogat lost to Chen Nien Chin of Chinese Taipei 0-5
Men’s 50 kg: Jadumani Singh defeated Omer Izaz of Australia 5-0
Men’s 55 kg: Pawan Bartwal defeated Ellis Townbridge of England 5-0
Men’s 85 kg: Jugnoo lost to Jasurbek Yuldoshev of Uzbekistan 0-5
Men’s 60 kg: Sachin Siwach defeated Dilshod Abdumurodov of Uzbekistan 5-0
Men’s 70 kg: Hitesh defeated Ismoilov of Uzbekistan 5-0
Men’s 75 kg: Sumit lost to Michal Jarlinski of Poland 1-4

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