Remain hungry for medals, says Lovlina on return at boxing Worlds
Three-time World Boxing Championships medallist's return to big-ticket event will be at the 2025 edition of the event at Liverpool from September 4.
New Delhi: Defending 75kg world champion Lovlina Borgohain insists she remains keen to be on the podium at the World Boxing Championships even though retirement had crossed her mind.
After bronze at Tokyo Olympics, she couldn't be among the medals at Paris 2024 last August and hasn't participated in international competition since, focusing on building her academy and contemplating stepping away from the ring.
The three-time World Championships medallist's return to big-ticket event will be at the 2025 edition of the event at Liverpool from September 4.
With only one national-level tournament under her belt, preparation has been scant, which was mostly spent on improving strength and endurance.
"I'll be competing internationally after a long break. I got only a month to prepare, so I have been working on endurance and also on strength, she told PTI.
"The weight categories have also changed, so many boxers will be moving around. It will be challenging. But I am addicted to boxing and still hungry for more medals."
At Paris 2024, she went down in the quarter-finals of the middleweight (75kg) division to eventual gold medallist China's Li Qian.
"I could have won gold in the Paris Olympics as well because all those women who stood on the podium, I have beaten them all before," she regretted.
"I have defeated the champion, the silver medallist has lost to me twice, and I have also beaten both bronze medallists. That shows my level and I know I can win another Olympic medal. That keeps me going."
'Built academy with eye on future'
Had the 27-year-old won successive Olympic medals at Paris, she would have gladly hung up her gloved and shifted her entire focus to the academy she inaugurated in June in Guwahati.
But falling short of it made her continue to compete at least till Los Angeles 2028, where she hopes to sign off with a medal.
"When I thought about starting my academy, I had planned to play until Paris (Olympics), and then maybe quit playing," Lovlina said.
"But the result in Paris wasn't what I had expected. Had I won a medal there, that could have been my farewell.
"But my time away from the ring has been rewarding. I was working on my academy, taking care of every little detail.
"It was a very fulfilling experience because we are contributing to the country, that feeling is somewhere even better than winning a medal.
"There won't just be one Lovlina from Assam but many. I always dreamt of giving back to the country. Boxing has given me so much, this is the first step," she added.