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New Delhi: Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen had to dig deep but did just enough to keep her medal hopes alive at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool on Tuesday. The Indian star was pushed hard by Japan's Yuna Nishinaka before pulling through with a unanimous decision win in the women's 51kg round of 16.
The bout was anything but straightforward, as just 21 Nishinaka relied heavily on clinches to disrupt Nikhat's rhythm and was twice docked points for excessive holding. despite that she kept coming forward, making life difficult for the more experienced Indian. Though Nikhat showed composure in the scrappy exchanges and found ways to land cleaner punches at crucial moments.
The opening round saw both boxers rush forward aggressively. Nikhat connected with a couple of hooks early but the frequent tanglings of arms slowed the momentum. Nishinaka managed to edge the round 3-2 on the judges' cards, raising concerns for the Indian camp.
The second round brought a shift in momentum when Nikhat began to read her opponent's tactics better and found gaps for sharper counters while keeping distance to avoid being tied up. The slight adjustment earned her a 4-2 scoreline in the round, putting her back in control.
The pattern continued in the final three minutes with Nishinaka again penalised for persistent clinching. Nikhat stayed disciplined, keeping her guard tight and landing just enough scoring shots to maintain her lead. When the final bell rang, she emerged the clear winner, booking her spot in the last eight and edging closer to a third world medal.
The next challenge for Nikhat will be a formidable one. She will face Turkey's Buse Naz Cakiroglu, who is a two-time Olympic silver medallist and the 2022 world light flyweight champion. It promises to be one of the toughest tests of her career.
Elsewhere in the competition, India endured a mixed day with five other boxers in action and three names bowing out late on Monday. Sumit Kundu (75kg) was handed a 5-0 defeat by reigning European champion Rami Kiwan of Bulgaria. Sachin Siwach (60kg) lost 1-4 to Kazakhstan’s Biibars Zhexen while Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (90+kg) also went down 1-4 against Italy’s Diego Lenzi.
With more than half of the 20-member Indian squad already out, the pressure is on Nikhat and the remaining boxers to keep the country's hopes alive in Liverpool.
