'Happy birthday, ammi. I love you. Allah aapko khush rakhen', Nikhat wished her mum following her bout.
The CM said it was a proud moment as Nikhat, who hails from Nizamabad district of Telangana, stood as the world boxing champion.
After being sidelined with an injury since the Paris Games, accomplished boxer Nikhat Zareen is now determined to make a strong comeback and aims to be competition-ready by May.
Star boxers, including Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi Hooda, lived up to their top billing with easy wins but the spotlight once again fell on questionable refereeing as the National Boxing Championships were marred by fresh controversy and a disrupted bout, in Greater Noida, on Wednesday.
Nikhat Zareen described her pre-quarterfinal defeat at the Paris Games as the most excruciating loss of her career and the Indian boxing star vowed to return with renewed passion to achieve her dream of winning an Olympic medal
'I'm both excited and nervous because people have a lot of expectations from me.'
Star paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal and World champion boxer Nikhat Zareen have been named India's flagbearers for the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Monday.
Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen eked out a gritty win while Arundhati Choudhary too won her bout to advance to the semifinals of the 75th Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria on Thursday.
'Basically, I have hit energy saving mode, indulge my sweet tooth on cheat days, do grocery shopping, listen to music, it helps me stay calm.'
Nikhat Zareen punched her way to a second successive gold title at the Women's World Boxing Championship in New Delhi.
Debutant Minakshi, who out-punched Paris Olympics bronze medallist Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan in the 48kg final, for gold at the Worlds said she had set her sights on the World Cup in India in November.
Nikhat was at her aggressive best as she landed a flurry of combination punches on her opponent.
''I want to send my parents for Umrah because Ramazan is going on.'
Among other Indians in the competition, four-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (63kg) got a bye into the second round.
Jaismine, Nupur assure India medals at World Boxing Championships; Nikhat bows out
Fernandez evaluated India's chances at the upcoming Summer Games.
World champion Nikhat Zareen is keen to use the experience gained in the recently-concluded global event to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.
World Boxing Championships 2025: Pawan Bartwal registers hard-fought win over Trindade
The year began on an unusually dull note with boxers absent from most international competition in the aftermath of a medal-less Olympic campaign.
Nikhat, who defeated world champions Paltceva Ekaterina of Russia and Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan in her last two bouts, suffered a 0-5 loss
Nupur Sheoran (80+kg) and the seasoned Pooja Rani (80kg) signed off with silver and bronze medals respectively in non-Olympic weight categories.
World Champion boxer Nikhat Zareen said she has adopted a combative approach where "whatever happens I have to fight and give my best."
Zareen caused a major upset on the second day of the tournament on Wednesday when she out-punched the Russian boxer 5-0.
'Today's result has changed them, not just people in our community but for entire India, it's an inspiration. For a girl of Muslim community to do so well, it gives others, not just our community, confidence that our girls can also do this.'
Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain will look to find their footing in new weight categories with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games approaching.
Nitu beat Italy's Erika Prisciandaro, a former Youth World Championship bronze-medallist, 5-0, while Zareen outpunched Ukraine's Tetiana Kob, a three-time European Championships medallist, 4-1.
Check out Indian athletes' schedule for Thursday, August 1, Day 6 of competition
Nitu (48kg) and Jasmine (60kg) were the others boxers who sealed spots for the quadrennial event, in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.
In the rematch of last year's quarter-finals, Nitu and Balkibekova went all guns blazing in the first round. However, the Kazakh was dominant and took the round 2-3.
India's boxer Nikhat Zareen stunned two-time World champion Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan to enter the women's 51kg semi-finals at the Bosphorus Boxing Tournament in Istanbul, on Friday.
Nikhat was the first Indian in action on Sunday and she completely dominated from start to finish in her round of 16 bout.
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.
Mary Kom (51kg) claimed her eighth world medal at the recently-concluded championships in Russia and BFI now plans to send the Manipuri boxer for the Olympic qualifiers in China
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju advised the Boxing Federation of India to be transparent and resolve the Nikhat Zareen-Mary Kom in the best possible manner.
'Will tell BFI to decide what's best for nation'
While the women scripted history, delivering India's best-ever overseas showing, the men endured a humbling low, returning without a single medal for the first time in 12 years.
Nikhat Zareen, Nitu Ghanghas and Manisha Moun marched into the quarterfinals of the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships.
World Championship medallist Amit Panghal and Sachin Siwach struck gold at the 75th Strandja Memorial tournament.
On November 30, President Droupadi Murmu presented the Sports and Adventure Awards 2022 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Zareen was no match for her young opponent as she dominated the bout from start to finish
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