Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain head India’s challenge at boxing worlds

Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain are champions cast in different moulds. In the past year, they have traversed different routes to shine in the ring and off it. Come Thursday, the two boxers will be India's biggest hopes in the IBA women's world championships starting at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.

Nikhat is exuberant and outspoken. Her ringcraft is an extension of her personality. With nimble footwork, fast hands, decisive punching and an insatiable hunger to win, Nikhat put up a smashing show at the Istanbul world championships in May last year. She cruised to the flyweight (52kg) title.

Ten months on, she is ready to defend her crown at home and begins her campaign against Ismayilova Anakhanim of Azerbaijan in the first round on Thursday. It will be a tougher challenge Nikhat this time with many boxers switching categories to be in the mix for the Paris Olympics that features 50kg. With no first round bye, Nikhat will have to win six bouts in a draw of 35 boxers if she hopes to crown herself champion.

Rio Olympics bronze medallist Ingrit Valencia, Tokyo bronze medallist Tsukimi Namiki of Japan, Asian Games champion Chang Yuan of China, twice world champion Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan, Aziza Yokubova of Uzbekistan, a worlds bronze medalist, are all in the fray.

Like Nikhat, Lovlina too has changed her weight category, but has moved up significantly, from 69kg to middleweight (75kg), which is the nearest Olympic division. After winning the Tokyo Olympics bronze, she went through a difficult phase.

Adjusting to the sudden fame was not easy for the quiet and unassuming boxer from Assam. She struggled with form and returned without a medal from the world championships and even the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Add to it the big weight shift for the Paris Olympics, she was left battling on various fronts.

To regain the old fire in her boxing, Lovlina had to go back to the drawing board and find her focus. It was at the Asian Championships in November that Lovlina came into her own, winning gold in her new weight category.

It was at home five years back that Lovlina first made a mark. She won bronze at the 2018 world championships at the same venue and has never looked back since. She won bronze at the 2019 worlds in Russia as well before Tokyo happened.

She will have to navigate a draw headlined by Chinese 2018 world champion and Olympic silver medallist Li Qian. Then there is Panama's Athyena Bylon, the world silver medallist, Rady Gramane (Mozambique) and Davina Michel (France), bronze medallists at Istanbul. Having received a first round bye, she will face Mexico's Vanessa Ortiz in the Round of 16.

A lot will also be expected from the promising Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) -- the Commonwealth Games gold medallist -- and the seasoned Manisha Moun (57kg) -- a worlds bronze medallist. Preeti (54kg), Manju Baboriya (66kg) and CWG bronze winner Jaismine Lamboria (60kg) will also get to test the waters in Olympic categories before the Paris Olympics qualifiers, which is the Asian Games in China.

India had to make a last-minute change in 70 kg. They had to replace Sanamacha Chanu after she suffered concussion during training. Reserve boxer Shruti Yadav will take her place.

The tournament has a huge prize pool of ₹20 crore.

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