National Boxing Championships: Nikhat, Lovlina cruise through opening bouts

Top Indian women boxers made commanding starts to their campaigns at the Elite National Boxing Championships as world champions Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi, along with Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, registered comfortable wins in Greater Noida on Monday.

The championships, being staged at Gautam Buddha University, are being held in a combined format for the first time, with men’s and women’s events running simultaneously at the same venue.

Around 600 boxers from across the country are competing across 10 weight categories each in the men’s and women’s divisions.

Competing in the 48–51kg category, Nikhat, representing Telangana, delivered a clinical performance to blank Nidhi of Chandigarh by a 5–0 verdict. The two-time world champion controlled the bout from start to finish, showcasing sharp movement and clean scoring to advance without difficulty.

World champion Minakshi was equally dominant in the 45–48kg category, defeating Tamil Nadu’s V Lakshaya S Vijayan by an identical 5–0 margin. Minakshi dictated the pace of the contest, leaving little room for her opponent to mount any resistance.

In the 70–75kg division, Lovlina Borgohain also progressed smoothly, securing a unanimous decision victory over Krisha Verma. The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist relied on her reach and experience to control exchanges and seal a routine win.

Strong showing in men’s bouts

The men’s competition also saw several one-sided contests. In the 47–50kg category, Sagar outclassed Ashutosh 5–0, while Sumit registered a similar result against Arshpreet Singh in the 70–75kg division. Young contender Hitesh dominated Ankit in the 65–70kg category, and Sachin and Ankush also advanced with comprehensive 5–0 victories in their respective weight classes.

With leading names easing through the opening rounds, the championships are set for more high-quality bouts as the competition progresses.