Three Indian boxers assured of medals at Worlds
NEW DELHI: There is a purpose and urgency that is reflected in Nikhat Zareen’s fights these days. For a long time Zareen, a 2011 junior world champion, has been a talent waiting to deliver the big blows at the world stage. Then came the unsavoury row with Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom and her fight for a place in the team for Tokyo Olympics qualifiers. Zareen lost in the trials and Tokyo never happened.
But she has used that loss to channelise her energies in the new season. The first thing in her list was a medal from a major event and that was assured on Monday in Istanbul, where she stormed into the women’s world boxing semi-finals with a unanimous 5-0 verdict against Davison Sian Taylor of England in the 52kg. Manisha Moun (57kg) and Parveen Hooda (62) also followed Zareen into the semi-finals, confirming three medals for India.
It was only a continuation of Indian women boxers’ growing prowess in world boxing in the last few years. Lovlina Borgohain’s Tokyo Olympics bronze is a testament to that. India won four medals each at the previous two world championships with the 2018 event held at home. At the junior world championships in Poland last year, Indian boxers won a record seven gold medals, and before that the country’s boxers won 10. Some of them have already made the transition to the seniors.
Borgohain lost in the prequarterfinals in Istanbul but there was still enough depth in the Indian ranks with eight boxers fighting in the Round of 8, a win away from entering the medal bouts. Five of them lost on Monday.
After promising much more, young Nitu Ghanghas lost a close bout to Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan by a split verdict. Zareen was on her toes and produced a fine performance. She faced a tough challenge from the tall Davison, but Zareen, with her clean striking, was not one to give up easily. The first two rounds were close but Zareen was full of aggression from the second round against the southpaw. She kept moving and slipped in punches whenever she saw the opening. She just did not stop her attacks and landed enough punches on target to go through. Davison received a warning for holding and was not able to withstand the barrage of punches.
52kg 57kg 63kg
Nikhat Zareen bt Davison Sian Taylor Manisha Moun bt Namuun Monkhor Parveen Hooda bt S Zulkaynarova
ENG MGL TJK 2-3 5-0 4-1 5-0 2-3 0-5 1-4 0-5
“Nikhat’s basics are good and she has been working hard and should be able to continue winning,” says Emani Chiranjeevi, former chief national coach who has trained Zareen in Hyderabad.
“She has won three bouts now and getting a world championships medal which will be her first is big. I think she should be a little better tactically and that can get her gold. She needs to see her previous bouts and work on tactics. It is great for the Indian team to win so many medals at the world championships,” he said. Zareen,25, a Asian Championships medallist, has been on a hot streak since winning the nationals and gold at the
Strandja Memorial on the back of beating Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Cakiroglu Buse Naz of Turkey. “I have to keep winning against the big names and prove myself in every tournament. The first thing will be to win a medal from a major competition,” Zareen had said. She next faces Brazil’s Caroline de Almeida.
Manisha’s comeback
Moun too was looking for a breakthrough medal since it eluded her at the 2018 world championships at home. She had sensationally upset then world champion Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan and two-time worlds medalist Christina Cruz of the USA but could not progress beyond the quarterfinals. She remained a one-event wonder. In the last couple of years, she has been in and out of the team with injuries and loss of form. A renewed sense of purpose can be seen in her steps now. Moun is fiercely attacking and always pressing forward with punches. She was in trouble against Namuun Monkhor but her aggression and relentless strikes saw her through 4-1. She was quick, and with both boxers going all out, the exchanges were intense. Moun got a warning in the third round but was not thwarted. She will face Olympics bronze medallist Irma Testa of Italy for a place in the final.
Parveen came to the fore in 2019 when she won silver at the
President’s Cup in Kazakhstan. Up against Shoira Zulkaynarova of Tajikistan, Parveen scored on the counter even as her opponent engaged in clinching and got a warning. She will take on European bronze medallist Amy Broadhurst of Ireland.
India though lost some close bouts. Tokyo Olympian Pooja Rani will be disappointed, losing 2-3 despite a stiff fight against Australian Jessica Bagley. Rani, competing in her first meet since Tokyo, looked in good touch, scoring well from a distance with her left hook going strong. Bagley was waiting to counterattack. Anamika (50kg) also gave a good account of herself against Rio Olympics bronze medallist Ingrit Valencia but lost 0-5.