Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain will likely be at the forefront as India eyes a show befitting their rising stature in girls’s boxing when the World Championship, whose build-up was marred by controversies, begins in New Delhi from March 16.
In the absence of the enduring six-time champion MC Mary Kom, who’s recovering from an ACL tear in her left knee, world champion Nikhat and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina will spearhead the 12-member Indian group.
Boxer Mary Kom with Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh throughout a pressconference saying the title and sponsor and model ambassador for IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship 2023, in New Delhi on March 13, 2023. File
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ANI
Both boxers will look to search out their footing in new weight classes with the Paris Olympics approaching.
World No. 4 Nikhat lower down her weight from 52kg — the burden class during which she discovered glory final 12 months in Turkey — to 50kg.
Lovlina, alternatively, has bulked up from the 69kg welterweight class to the 75kg middleweight division after each their most well-liked weight classes have been scrapped for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This will likely be Nikhat’s second worldwide match after dropping all the way down to 50kg. She gained the Commonwealth Games gold within the gentle fly weight division however the discipline wasn’t that strong in Birmingham.
However, that won’t be the case right here. Being an Olympic weight class, Nikhat should face among the prime boxers on her strategy to the rostrum.
Although Lovlina gained the Asian Championships within the 75kg division, she continues to be adapting to her new weight class. The two-time Worlds bronze medallist has been working extensively on growing her energy and including energy to her punches, a should for succeeding within the larger weight lessons.
“The focus has been on improving the power in my punches as my opponents will be much stronger than what I encountered in the 69kg category,” Lovlina advised PTI.
The highlight may also be on CWG champion Nitu Ganghas (48kg) and final version’s bronze medallist Manisha Maun (57kg).
The likes of Sakshi Chaudhary (52kg), Preeti (54kg), Shashi Chopra (63kg), Sanamcha Chanu (70kg) are anticipated to create a flutter.
It is the third time India is internet hosting the distinguished occasion. But a sequence of boycotts, the battle between the International Boxing Association (IBA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and a court docket case have taken the sheen off the match.
Over 10 international locations, together with the likes of U.S.A., Britain and Ireland pulled out of the occasion after the IBA, headed by Russian Umar Kremlev, allowed boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete beneath their very own flag towards the IOC’s advice.
Additionally, the continued tussle between the 2 world our bodies has created lots of confusion because the IOC mentioned, it will be in command of the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifiers and never the IBA, which has been beneath suspension since 2019.
But the IBA went on and introduced that they might conduct the qualification occasions, and the boys’s and girls’s World Championships this 12 months can be the primary qualifiers.
Kremlev on March 14, clarified that the IOC will stay in command of the qualifying occasions including that the 2 our bodies have to cooperate and coordinate. He, nevertheless, asserted that that every one the qualification tournaments shall be managed by IBA.
Another dispute arose inside the nationwide camp as reigning nationwide champions Manju Rani (48kg), Shiksha Narwal (54kg) and Poonam Poonia (60kg) moved court docket after they could not make the lower for the World Championships beneath Boxing Federation of India’s new choice coverage.
Under the brand new coverage the boxers underwent an analysis course of for 3 weeks the place they have been judged on varied parameters with Nitu, Preeti and Jaismine Lamboria being chosen for the match.
The Delhi High Court finally refused to intervene within the challenge.
The thirteenth version of the championship will function over 300 boxers from 65 international locations and the gold-winners will stroll away with a prize cash of $100,000.
The silver medallists are to be given $50,000, and each bronze-medallists will likely be awarded $25,000 every.
India returned with a haul of three medals together with a gold within the final version.
The Indian group would hope to match its 2006 efficiency at home, when the boxers gained eight medals, together with 4 golds.
Squad: Nitu Ghanghas (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (52kg), Preeti (54kg), Manisha Moun (57kg), Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Shashi Chopra (63kg), Manju Bamboria (66kg), Sanamcha Chanu (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Saweety Boora (81kg) and Nupur Sheoran (81+kg).
