Boxer Nikhat Zareen storms into World C’ship final
India’s Nikhat Zareen (52kg) breezed into the Women’s World Boxing Championships final with a dominating win while Manisha Moun (57kg) signed off with a bronze medal in anbul on Wednesday.
Nikhat made short work of Brazil’s Caroline De Almeida to notch a dominant 5-0 win. Manisha, on the other hand, lost to Tokyo Olympics bronze medall Irma Testa of Italy an identical margin.
Zareen, who is a former junior world champion, stayed calm and completely dominated her rival for a 5-0 win unanimous decision in the last-four bout of the 52kg competition.
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🇮🇳’s @nikhat_zareen becomes first 🇮🇳 boxer to cement her place in the of #IBAWWC2022 as she displayed her lethal form🔥 to eke out 🇧🇷’s Caroline in the semifinals! 🦾🌟
Go for the GOLD! 👊#PunchMeinHaiDum #stanbulBoxing#boxing pic.twitter.com/PDrq9x9qbh
— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) May 18, 2022
The 2019 Asian Championships bronze medall Manisha, competing in her second world championship, tried hard to outdo her technically superior opponent with her power punches but Testa defended superbly.
Six-time champion MC Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL and Lekha C are the only Indian women boxers who have won the world title and now Hyderabad-based Zareen has the opportunity to join the elite l.
India’s best performance in the event came in 2006 when the country snared eight medals, including four gold, one silver and three bronze.
In the last edition, four Indian boxers returned home with medals — Manju Rani clinched the silver, while Mary Kom bagged an unparalleled eighth world medal in the form of a bronze.