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At the Asian Games, Indian boxing witnessed an awe-inspiring performance as top boxer Nikhat Zareen showcased her prowess in a rematch of the World Championship final. Taking on the formidable two-time Asian Champion, Vietnam's Thi Tam Nguyen, Zareen effortlessly secured her spot in the women's 50kg pre-quarterfinals with a commanding 5-0 victory.
Intriguingly, Zareen, despite her laurels as the reigning world champion, did not obtain a first-round bye in the 50kg event. This situation could have been a potential roadblock for many, but Zareen turned it into an opportunity to demonstrate her mettle. Her strategy was simple but executed with finesse: dominate from the start and give her opponent no quarter.
Zareen's punches, sharp and precise, immediately put Nguyen on the back foot. Such was her dominance that within the first round itself, Nguyen faced two eight counts, both initiated within a mere 30 seconds. The second round witnessed Nguyen attempting to stage a comeback, but Zareen, displaying her mastery in the ring, answered with a flurry of combination punches. This onslaught led to a third eight count for the Vietnamese boxer. With her initial strategy accomplished, Zareen took a more defensive stance in the final round, letting her nimble footwork speak volumes of her experience and skill.
Reflecting on her performance, Zareen commented, " I had not expected it (to be a one-sided bout) but my plan was to make it one because it's happening in another country and I didn't want to give any chance to her. My plan was to win the first two rounds unanimously and then relax in the third". With her eyes on the Tokyo Olympics qualification, she added, "I am focussing on qualification first. Then step by step I'll think of final and gold."
In a parallel ring of triumph, the young Indian boxing sensation, Preeti Pawar, stamped her mark by securing an RSC (referee stops contest) victory over Jordan's Silina Alhasanat. After starting with a calculated defensive tactic, Preeti switched gears to launch an aggressive offense, landing perfect jabs and hooks that bewildered her opponent. This performance places the 19-year-old just one bout away from a much-deserved medal and an Olympic quota.
The journey ahead promises more adrenaline-packed encounters. Zareen is scheduled to face South Korea's Chorong Bak in the Round of 16. Concurrently, Preeti girds herself for a challenging bout against the seasoned three-time world medalist, Kazakh boxer Zhaina Shekerbekova. With such performances, Indian boxing's future seems bright and promising.
(Inputs from PTI, powered by AI)
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