After Paris heartbreak, Nikhat Zareen roars back with World Boxing Cup Finals gold

Greater Noida: Star Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen has once again captured headlines after winning the gold medal at the 2025 World Boxing Cup Finals on Thursday.

The two-time World Champion delivered a commanding 5–0 victory over Guo Yi-xuan of Chinese Taipei in the women’s 51 kg final, returning to the top of the podium after 32 months.

Her last gold also came on home soil in 2023, when she clinched her second world title at the New Delhi World Championships.

“I always believe in manifestation, so I manifested that this time also, in India, I would repeat that. It’s always a pleasure to play in front of a home crowd, and today I did it,” Nikhat Zareen told the media after her win.

Bouncing back from two consecutive setbacks

Nikhat endured a difficult run in her last two major tournaments, the Paris Olympics and the World Boxing Championships, returning empty-handed from both.

At the Paris Games, competing as the reigning World Champion, she exited in the Round of 16 against eventual champion Wu Yu of China.

Later, at the 2025 World Championships in Liverpool, her first international event of the year, she fell in the quarterfinals to Turkiye’s Buse Naz Cakıroğlu.

Now, she has turned back the clock, returning to winning ways in front of her home crowd and putting behind her the disappointment of missing out on key medals.

“This medal is a big boost for my confidence. After a long time, I reached the final and won the gold. I’m very happy that I can once again compete as a gold medal contender,” Nikhat said, relieved to end her medal drought.

Nikhat also mentioned that she had very little time after the World Championships to prepare for this event. Within days, she shifted to Patiala to join the training camp.

“I spent a few days with my family, but then moved to Patiala for training since the Finals were in India and I didn’t want to disappoint fans. In Patiala, I sparred with boxers across weight categories, from 48 kg to 54 kg and even 57 kg, which helped me a lot,” she added.

Nikhat's Road to the title

The World Cup Finals, expected to be a top-tier competition with the world’s best eight players in each weight category, did not fully live up to expectations as several major nations skipped the event.

In the women’s 51 kg category, only five boxers participated, which meant Nikhat received a bye in the quarterfinals and secured a medal without stepping into the ring.

Her campaign began in the semifinals against Uzbekistan’s Gulsevar Ganieva, where she won by unanimous decision to enter the final.

However, it wasn’t her most convincing bout, marked by frequent clinches and several clumsy falls near the ropes.

“The first bout was not as good as everyone expected, but I’m happy that I at least won and reached the final after so long,” Nikhat said after the semifinal.

In the final against Guo Yi-xuan, Nikhat looked much more composed, displaying sharper footwork and cleaner punches to seal the title at home.

“Today, I played against a boxer who moves a lot and is a counter-puncher. So I also opted for counter boxing instead of going all-out, which could have disadvantaged me,” Nikhat explained.

Future Plans

Nikhat shared that she often has to travel for training because there is no proper boxing academy near her home, something she now hopes to build herself for upcoming talent from Telangana.

“I mostly have to travel to Pune or IIS for training and don’t have a fixed location. So if the Telangana government allocates land, I will build my own academy where I can train and support rising boxers from the region,” she said.

This win may not carry immense competitive weight due to the limited field, but it has undoubtedly reignited her confidence after a challenging year.

With a packed 2026 season ahead, including major events like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Nikhat will aim to use this momentum to elevate her performance further.

Her parting words, “This is just the start, and a lot more has to be done,” reflect the grit and hunger she will need as she prepares to face stronger opponents on the global stage.