Want to end India's campaign with win: Nikhat Zareen after 1st round

Reigning World Champion Nikhat Zareen kicked off India's campaign with a dominant win in the 50-kg category at the Boxing World Championships at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday.

Nikhat trounced Anakhanim Ismayilova of Azerbaijan to begin her campaign at home this time. The match ended abruptly as the referee stopped the contest in the second round due to Nikhat's dominance.

Nikhat won the first round as all the judges scored it in her favour with a score of 10:8, before completely outclassing her opponent in the second round.

Talking to the media after her bout, Nikhat said, "I am very happy that India's campaign has started with my win. Now that I have started India's campaign with a win, I hope to end it with a win too."

Nikhat, who is the reigning world champion in the 52 kg category, was left unseeded when the draws came out in her new category.

"Draws are very unpredictable. Seeding doesn't matter, my draw is good and I am happy with it," she said about it.

Nikhat credited prior analysis of the boxer for her dominance in the ring.

"I have watched her bouts in Strandja Boxing Championship, so I had a plan. She is a southpaw boxer and her strength is jab I kept my left hand safe and attacked more with my right hand. The second round was stopped for RSC, so I am happy with the win," the boxer from Telangana said.

Nikhat will be playing her next bout against the top-seeded Algerian boxer Roumaysa Boualam, who is the current African champion.

"I haven't played her but I will watch her fights to strategize for my next game," she said.

Four Indian boxers will be playing their first-round bouts on the first day of the Boxing World Championships.