Women’s World Boxing Championships: Nitu Ghanghas digs deep to punch her way into 48kg final

The rest of the bout resembled more a scrappy street fight, with constant grappling and edgy defensive manoeuvres, than a clean amateur boxing contest. Nitu, evidently surprised by Balkibekova’s scrappiness, lost the first round 2-3.

But the Indian came out throwing big punches, ready for a brawl, and went on to win the second and third rounds 4-1 and 3-2, securing a 5-2 decision in her favour after bout review to ensure at least a silver medal at the championships. For a boxer from Bhiwani, Haryana, who honed her skills by boxing against boys in her weight category, a scrappy brawl would not prove to be a big challenge.

It all goes back to the time Nitu’s father, Jai Bhagwan, took her to train with Vijendra Singh’s coach Jagdish in Bhiwani, after the pugilist’s podium finish at Beijing 2008. Along with her friend and fellow national boxer Sakshi Chaudhary, the two would learn the basics of the sport there.

But there were not too many promising girls in boxing where she used to train. Her family realised that needed to box against boys in her weight category, and not only give them a good fight, but on occasions, even blow past them.

“The speed and power, at that time, was greater among the boys. But she matched that power, and developed the kind of stamina that made sure she would excel at this level,” Jai Bhagwan told The Indian Express.

“It’s an amazing feeling to see Nitu reach this level of success. Our family never thought she would reach these heights when she started. I’m proud not only watching her win medals, but also seeing her so confident in her own abilities.”

Self-belief has been evident through her entire journey here in Delhi. From the very first encounter, Nitu has been on the front foot, looking to string together heavyweight punches, and bring her stronger left hook into play to daze opponents.

“Confidence is her main strength,” Indian national team coach Bhaskar Bhat says of Nitu. “A coach’s job is a lot easier when the fighter is so confident of executing the strategies we tell her.”

In a league of her own

None of her bouts till the semifinal stage went the distance, with the referee stopping the contest in the middle of the first or second round. Even if she was aided by overly-cautious refereeing, her power and relentless attacking attitude have often been too much for her opponents.

Bhat says that the attacking mindset took some time to seep in, but it was nothing a fighter with her self-belief could not handle. “She’s maturing. What you’re seeing from her is just the start, ” he said.

Boxers like Nitu, with greater stamina and footwork, tend to have a general tendency to rely on the counter-attack, patiently managing bouts as opposed to resorting to all-out aggression. Nitu’s problem-solving in the ring explains her dominance at these championships.

“In the first 10-20 seconds of the bout, a boxer judges which approach to take, and whether or not to start attacking right from the start. Despite her preference to be a long-range boxer, she understands better when to go on the front foot, having that ‘no-mercy’ attitude,” Bhat says.

The weight category in which Nitu has seen this level of success is particularly significant. It was the category Mary Kom made her own for a generation, winning six consecutive World Championship gold medals – a springboard for her path-breaking bronze medal at the London Olympics.

So, with Nitu being a youth world champion, and a CWG gold medallist, the comparisons ever since she burst onto the scene are inevitable. The expectations will rise, and so will the scrutiny and pressure, but Jai Bhagwan is not concerned.

“She doesn’t feel any pressure. That is never a thought that has come to her head. She will share with us when she is questioning something in her technique or training, but never takes this pressure that she has to succeed.”

Nitu will now be in a dogfight to represent India internationally, with the Asian Games fast approaching and the Paris Olympics next year. At both, she will be competing with reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen for a slot, which, as things stand, will be far from a foregone conclusion.