'To become a champion, you should face anyone,' says Lovlina Borgohain

The Indian boxing campaign at the Paris Olympics came to an end as Lovlina Borgohain was knocked out of the competition earlier today.

"I tried my best but the match slipped away towards the end. I gave my 100%, but the result did not go my way. I did not expect that. It is tough for me at the moment," said Lovlina Borgohain in an interview with JioCinema after her heartbreaking exit from the Paris Olympics.

Lovlina, who was aiming to defend her bronze medal from Tokyo 2020, faced a challenging bout against Li Qian of China in the women's 75 kg category.

Despite a valiant effort, she fell short, conceding a 1-4 defeat to the top-seeded Chinese boxer.

Li Qian, a formidable opponent, is a two-time Olympic medallist with a silver from Tokyo 2020 and a bronze from Rio 2016. She is also a former world champion and the reigning Asian Games champion.

Reflecting on the challenge of facing such a high-caliber competitor, Lovlina said, “If you want to become the champion, you have to be able to face anyone who comes your way. It was my hard luck.”

Despite her preparation and determination, Lovlina found the final round particularly difficult. “I tried my best but was not able to convert,” she said. “I thought I would be able to win, but the last round was tough,” she added.

The Nishant Dev controversy

The disappointment was not limited to Lovlina alone. Nishant Dev, making his Olympic debut, also faced a dramatic and disheartening split-decision loss. He was defeated 1-4 by Marco Verde Alvarez of Mexico in the men's 71 kg quarterfinals.

The controversial decision created an outburst among Indian fans and experts, fueling debates on social media about the fairness of the decision.

When asked about Nishant Dev's match, Lovlina said, "Yes, he played very well. We thought he would win, but the judges favored the other, so I cannot say anything about that," she concluded.