Nikhat emerges as India's biggest star in a year filled with historic performances
For most part, Indian boxing had lots to celebrate and it started with the season-opening Strandja Memorial, one of Europe's oldest and most competitive tournaments.
The Indian women's boxing team won one gold, three silver and six bronze medals at the Asian Championship in Dubai, ensuring that all 10 weight categories featured an Indian medallist.
She might have had to settle for a bronze medal after losing in the Olympics semi-finals but woman boxer M C Mary Kom (51kg) has won accolades from her fellow Manipuris for her grit and determination.
In a conference call with these boxers on Sunday, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh took stock of their preparations amid a national lockdown till April 14 to fight the pandemic.
The 35-year-old mother-of-three defeated China's Wu Yu 5-0 in the light flyweight (48kg) category quarterfinals to enter the last-four stage and be assured of at least a bronze.
M C Mary Kom and Pooja Rani knocked out their respective opponents while L Sarita Devi survived a scare as India grabbed all the three gold medals on offer in women's boxing for an overall clean-sweep of top honours in the 12th South Asian Games in Shillong on Tuesday.
India's Nikhat Zareen who carries India's boxing hopes in the Paris Olympics started well on Sunday with a unanimous opening round win over Germany's Maxi Kloetzer.
Here are five boxers to watch when the Games kick off
Mary Kom lets it rip after winning trial bout against Nikhat Zareen
Village residents are asked to eat alone to avoid spreading potentially contagious droplets. Each seat is screened off with plexiglass.
The team reached Dubai on Saturday after being held up for over two hours in the flight, of which close to one hour was mid air
'The girls will do well, I hope we get one or two medals. It could be a silver or may be even a gold.'
A lot has been spoken about how Nikhat Zareen, who comes from an orthodox society as she had to overcome societal prejudice to make a career in boxing.
Disheartened but not broken after the Olympic loss, Jaismine returned to the Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune after a short break. She had made up her mind to stay in the 57kg division, a category that complemented her rangy frame and natural speed.
Five-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) would be India's lone flagbearer and a gold medal hope when women's boxing makes its historic Olympic debut in three weight categories on Sunday.
President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modicongratulated Vijender Singh on clinching the WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight title, saying that the star boxer has made the country proud with his feat.
Two-time Asian champion boxer Pooja Rani is contemplating a move down to the 70kg weight class as she targets a comeback for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
'I'm both excited and nervous because people have a lot of expectations from me.'
A cash bonanza awaits Indian boxers if they notch up medals at the London Olympics.
Determined to keep the Olympic dream alive despite the long-standing administrative mess, a spirited Indian boxing team, featuring the likes of M C Mary Kom and Shiva Thapa, will take off on Monday night for the Asian Qualifiers in Qian'an City, China. Ten men and three women form the 13-strong team which will be in action from March 25. In the men's competition, only the top three boxers in each weight category will make the Olympic cut with the third spot decided via a box-off between the two bronze-medallists. In the women's draw, only the gold and silver medal winners will qualify for Rio de Janeiro. In the absence of a recognised federation, the Indians will once again compete under the flag of the International Boxing Association (AIBA). "It is going to be a very tough tournament because not many from the Asian region qualified during last year's World Championships. I am expecting around 30 countries and more than 250 boxers to be there at this event," national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu told PTI ahead of the team's departure.
Expectations were high from Paris and observers of the game felt at least one, if not two medals, could be expected from the six boxers who qualified.
Amit Panghal will be eager to exorcise the ghosts of disappointing Tokyo Games
A historic fifth successive World Championship gold medal under her belt but star Indian woman boxer M C Mary Kom remains hungry for more and will not consider hanging up her gloves before finishing on podium at the 2012 London Olympics.
Panghal is the only Indian Olympic-bound boxer to be ranked as number
'There is more to life than sport and anything can happen in sport, so you need something to fall back on'
"Outside a ring there's a large audience cheering for you, but inside it you are all alone, fighting for yourself. Mary Kom has done it many times and is a proven champion."
Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Minakshi Hooda (48kg) carved their place in Indian boxing history by clinching titles with hard-fought wins at the World Championships in Liverpool.
Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Nitu Ghanghas and Saweety Boora will look to bag gold at the Women's World Boxing Championship.
The Indian boxing team, which landed in Birmingham on Monday, wasted no time as they immediately started their practice for the mega-event.
Through their triumphs and struggles, these athletes have not only rewritten the narrative of women in sports but have also ignited a flame of empowerment and inspiration, asserts Laxmi Negi.
''I want to send my parents for Umrah because Ramazan is going on.'
Nikhat registered a dominating 5-0 victory, thrashing Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas without breaking a sweat in the 52kg final with judges scoring the bout 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 in the Indian's favour.
Amit Panghal holds the numero uno position with 420 points, according to the list released by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Boxing Task Force
The 25-year-old boxer from Telangana thrashed Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas without breaking a sweat in the 52kg final with the judges scoring the bout 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 in Nikhat's favour.
Where stalwarts like MC Mary Kom failed, Sonia Lather brought home a medal.
The Athletes Commission of the IOA has recommended the national Olympic body to put systems in place to deal with issues of the players "with respect and dignity" in the light of the protest by India's top wrestlers.
Three Indian pugilists, including Nikhat Zareen, advanced to the semi-finals in their respective events after thrilling victories while Lovlina Borgohain bowed out in the quarter-finals in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Wednesday.
'She has not forgotten where she comes from.' 'It is unfortunate that we do not celebrate her boxing career, but she says she has learned to be happy.' 'All the rejections and corruption has given her courage.'
India's greatest ever Olympian Sushil Kumar strongly feels that panels similar to one headed by Justice RM Lodha to clean up the Board of Control for Cricket in India mess, is required to bring in more accountability and transparency in functioning of National Sports Federations (NSF).
