Zareen Dominates World Boxing Championships, Borgohain…

During the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain experienced different outcomes on the same day. Zareen marked her return to the boxing ring triumphantly whereas Borgohain endured a shocking early exit.

Zareen, who was recovering from an injury that sidelined her after her second-round exit at the Paris Olympics, demonstrated total control and confidence in her round-of-32 clash against Jennifer Lozano from the USA. With a combination of quick, precise jabs, fluid movement and her trademark footwork, she won the bout with a unanimous 5-0 decision, signifying her intent to return to the top spot in women’s boxing.

On the other hand, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, Borgohain, who was expected to compete deep into the tournament, was defeated during the pre-quarterfinals by Turkey’s Busra Isildar. A step behind her Turkish opponent, Borgohain struggled to assert control, resulting in a unanimous verdict against her.

In the men’s competition, Hitesh Gulia’s campaign ended in the 70kg category. Originally in control of his round-of-32 bout against Bos Finn Robert of the Netherlands, a lapse late in the match resulted in a surprising turn of events, with Robert winning 4-1.

In other highlights, Jaismine Lamboria, World Boxing Cup gold medallist, defeated Daria-Olha Hutarina of Ukraine 5-0 in the women’s 57kg bout, securing a spot in the pre-quarterfinals. Similarly, Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal opened his men’s 90+ kg campaign with a 4-1 win over Martin McDonagh of Ireland.