Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Before the IBA World Championships came to life, there were some unanswered questions in regards to the future of certain boxers in the Indian camp. Two of the country’s renowned pugilists, Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain, were on a mission. With the Paris Olympics in mind, Nikhat moved to the 50kg category (she was 52) while Lovlina was going to compete in the middleweight category (75kg) for the first time in the marquee event. Even though they had competed in those new weight categories in the past, they were yet to be tested at the elite level.
It was time for them to recalibrate and find that flow that they are used to. The change might seem insignificant for an outsider but it was noteworthy as it requires quite a lot for a boxer to get in tune with the new category. Moreover, with both the categories being part of the Olympic programme, it was a given that rival nations would be sending quality boxers. Since the competition got underway, they have not just survived but managed to prosper.
The bout itself was a cagey one with plenty of clenching involved. Both finalists were pulled aside by the referee and handed warnings. Nikhat, who has made a habit of starting on a strong note, pocketed the first round. However, Nyugen, after getting some feedback from her coaches, made the contest interesting. Nikhat was even warned for holding her opponent. She lost the round 2-3.
The two had saved the best for last. Nyugen clearly had the momentum but Nikhat was still ahead. Both boxers threw some heavy punches and were given standing count. But Nikhat maintained her calm. “I’m delighted. I have become a world champ for the second time. This weight category is part of the Olympics so I’m delighted. Today’s bout was the toughest for me. She is also an Asian champ and this is a good thing because the next event is the Asian Games and I could meet her there. I’ll work even harder,” she said.
Narrow win
Lovlina also proved she belongs to the 75kg category. After the Tokyo Olympics bronze, she had a subdued show in the 2022 edition of the marquee event and had suffered further pain during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Moving to 75kg during the Asian Championships had yielded a solid return. But that being a continental event, she was yet to put her skills to the test against bigger and experienced pros. In this event, she had already shown plenty to suggest that she is a certified contender for medals. She had beaten proven pugilists from the new weight category to earn herself a title shot.
Up against Caitlin Parker in the gold-medal contest, Lovlina was probed heavily. After edging the first round, Lovlina clearly seemed to have lost the plot in the second and was too defensive. Caitlin was sharp and managed to penetrate Lovlina’s defence and capture the round. In the decider, the narrative didn’t change. The Australian was the aggressor (she seemed to catch Lovlina often) and was operating like she was behind (on score) while Lovlina was forced to move around and use the pockets of spaces around the ring. At the time of announcement of the verdict, there was much suspense. However, the judges, after the bout review, deemed Lovlina the winner by 5-2 verdict. The Australian camp was clearly not happy.
“I had a lot of stress before the final. But I followed the coaches’ instructions and I was not fully successful but I did find quite a bit of success and I’m really happy,” she said. “This medal was very important for me, we had put in a lot of hard work as a team. My target was to win gold and make myself ready for the Asian Games.”
It was time for them to recalibrate and find that flow that they are used to. The change might seem insignificant for an outsider but it was noteworthy as it requires quite a lot for a boxer to get in tune with the new category. Moreover, with both the categories being part of the Olympic programme, it was a given that rival nations would be sending quality boxers. Since the competition got underway, they have not just survived but managed to prosper.
Sunday, however, was a stern test for Nikhat. Having endured some hard punches on the night, her lips were swollen after the conclusion of the final. Up against Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam, Nikhat was asked plenty of questions. As she was whisked away from the ring with the Tricolour wrapped around her shoulders, her face reflected myriad emotions. It was yet another milestone for her and more importantly, she is now showing she’s a serious contender for a medal in the upcoming Olympics in Paris.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The bout itself was a cagey one with plenty of clenching involved. Both finalists were pulled aside by the referee and handed warnings. Nikhat, who has made a habit of starting on a strong note, pocketed the first round. However, Nyugen, after getting some feedback from her coaches, made the contest interesting. Nikhat was even warned for holding her opponent. She lost the round 2-3.
The two had saved the best for last. Nyugen clearly had the momentum but Nikhat was still ahead. Both boxers threw some heavy punches and were given standing count. But Nikhat maintained her calm. “I’m delighted. I have become a world champ for the second time. This weight category is part of the Olympics so I’m delighted. Today’s bout was the toughest for me. She is also an Asian champ and this is a good thing because the next event is the Asian Games and I could meet her there. I’ll work even harder,” she said.
Narrow win
Lovlina also proved she belongs to the 75kg category. After the Tokyo Olympics bronze, she had a subdued show in the 2022 edition of the marquee event and had suffered further pain during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Moving to 75kg during the Asian Championships had yielded a solid return. But that being a continental event, she was yet to put her skills to the test against bigger and experienced pros. In this event, she had already shown plenty to suggest that she is a certified contender for medals. She had beaten proven pugilists from the new weight category to earn herself a title shot.
Up against Caitlin Parker in the gold-medal contest, Lovlina was probed heavily. After edging the first round, Lovlina clearly seemed to have lost the plot in the second and was too defensive. Caitlin was sharp and managed to penetrate Lovlina’s defence and capture the round. In the decider, the narrative didn’t change. The Australian was the aggressor (she seemed to catch Lovlina often) and was operating like she was behind (on score) while Lovlina was forced to move around and use the pockets of spaces around the ring. At the time of announcement of the verdict, there was much suspense. However, the judges, after the bout review, deemed Lovlina the winner by 5-2 verdict. The Australian camp was clearly not happy.
“I had a lot of stress before the final. But I followed the coaches’ instructions and I was not fully successful but I did find quite a bit of success and I’m really happy,” she said. “This medal was very important for me, we had put in a lot of hard work as a team. My target was to win gold and make myself ready for the Asian Games.”
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