The later stages of the Asian Boxing Championships presented a significant challenge for members of the Indian women’s boxing team, marking their first major competition since the conclusion of the Paris Olympics.
Preeti Sai Pawar faced a formidable opponent in Aeji Im, a bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics representing South Korea. Meanwhile, Nikhat Zareen was scheduled to compete against China’s Wu Yu, who had previously defeated her in the Round of 16 during the Paris Olympics on her way to winning her first Olympic gold. Additionally, Lovlina Borgohain, the only Olympic medallist in the current Indian squad, was set to battle Aziza Zokirova, a bronze medallist from the World Championships, who recently transitioned to the 75kg weight class from 70kg.
Recently, women’s boxing in India has seen a shift towards younger athletes stepping up to challenge some of the best globally, while established boxers have struggled to replicate the performances that secured their positions on the national team. Preeti, who has frequently adjusted her weight class to remain competitive, has finally started to find her stride in the demanding 54kg division, which is crowded with talent as many in lower weight categories have not been able to surpass Zareen.
On Tuesday, Preeti achieved a notable victory, defeating Im Ae-ji with a unanimous 5-0 decision. This win adds to her impressive list of victories over Olympic competitors, including a previous win against Huang Hsiao-wen of Chinese Taipei at the World Boxing Finals in Greater Noida last year. Interestingly, Huang will be Preeti’s opponent in the finals, posing a significant test for the emerging Indian boxer.
In contrast to Preeti’s success, veteran boxers Nikhat and Lovlina faced disappointing defeats against strong adversaries in their respective weight classes. Zareen’s loss to Wu mirrored her earlier defeat at the Paris Olympics. Wu, who typically competes at a higher weight, has been dropping down for Asian and world-level events, seemingly relishing the challenge of facing the two-time World Champion.
Lovlina Borgohain’s performance continued to decline, as she suffered a unanimous decision loss in her first match of the tournament after receiving a bye in the previous round, facing an opponent who had moved up a weight class.
