Boxing
Women’s World Boxing Championships - List of Indian gold medallists
A look at all the Women's World Boxing Champions from India.
Nikhat Zareen and Mary Kom
India is all set to host the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships in Delhi - two years after the country was stripped off its hosting rights for the Men’s Worlds.
The last time India hosted the global event, the legendary Mary Kom won the last of her six gold medals in the tournament.
Apart from Kom, a total of four other Indian women have also been crowned Boxing World Champions.
We take a look at all the Women’s World Boxing Champions from India:
Mary Kom
Sarita Devi
Jenny RL
Lekha KC
Nikhat Zareen
Mary Kom
Mary Kom is undoubtedly one of the all time greats in women’s boxing. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, has won a total of six gold medals in the Women’s World Boxing Championship history.
Kom was crowned the World Champion for the first time more than two decades back in 2002. This was just a year after she finished as the runner up in the inaugural edition of the World Championships in 2001.
The now 40-year-old has since won gold medals in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2018. She is the most successful boxer in Women’s World Boxing Championships history.
Sarita Devi
Sarita Devi was crowned the Women’s World Boxing Champion in the 52kg weight division when India hosted the event in 2006. This was an improvement from her bronze medal finish in the previous edition in 2005. Hailing from Manipur, she is considered to be one of the best pugilists to have emerged from India.
Jenny RL
Jenny RL was one of the four Indians to win the gold medal in the 2006 World Championships in Delhi. Coming into the tournament on the back of consecutive Asian Championships gold, Jenny asserted her dominance in the 63kg field to be crowned the World Champion.
Lekha KC
Lekha KC was the fourth Indian to be crowned the World Champion in front of the home crowd in 2006. Competing in the 75kg weight category, Lekha defeated China’s Jinzi Li much to the ecstasy of the Indian crowd.
Nikhat Zareen
Nikhat Zareen is the latest Indian to be crowned the Women’s World Boxing Champion. Having spent the early days of her career under the shadows of the legendary Mary Kom, Zareen showed her class during the 2022 Women’s World Boxing Championships.
Competing in the 52kg weight class, Zareen absolutely decimated the field with 5-0 wins in all her bouts enroute to the final. She then outclassed Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong with the same margin to take home the gold medal.
