New Delhi (IANS) | The boxers from India and China will be gold medal favorites at the Mahindra IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships on the back of impressive campaigns. Four boxers each from these two countries will be eyeing the gold medal after winning the final bout to be played at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex here on Saturday and Sunday.
Commonwealth Games 2022 champion Neetu Ghanghas, defending world champion Nikhat Zareen, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain and three-time Asian medalist Sweety Boora will present India’s challenge in the final.
On the other hand, four Chinese boxers Wu Yu (52kg), Yang Chengyu (63kg), Yang Liu (66kg) and Wang Lina (81kg) have reached the finals and will be aiming to win the gold medal.
India’s gold medal campaign will begin when two-time youth world champion Neetu (48kg) will take on two-time Asian Championships bronze-medallist Lutsekhan Altantseg of Mongolia in the final bout on Saturday. Neetu is competing in her second World Championship. His campaign so far has been fantastic. During this, she has won three bouts via referee stop contest (RSC) decisions and will look to carry that momentum into the finals.
“Winning against Kazakhstan was the most pressure for me after losing last time (in the World Championship quarter-finals) and I feel more confident after the win. I can see a lot of improvement in my game,” Neetu said. Because earlier I used to play only one type of game but now I know how to change my technique against different opponents, and I am sure I will continue to perform in the same way. Haven’t seen my opponent’s bouts, but I will watch his bouts and prepare accordingly. As far as aggression is concerned, it will depend on the bout.”
Nikhat (50kg) is determined to defend his title and win back-to-back World Championship gold medals. She will take on two-time Asian champion and 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam in the final on Sunday. The star boxer from Telangana has been dropped in the light flyweight category this time but has so far dominated all her rivals, including African champion Roumessa Boualam of Algeria, two-time world bronze medalist Chuthmat Raksat of Thailand and Rio Olympics bronze medalist Winners include Ingrid Valencia of Colombia.
Nikhat said, “This is the first competition in my boxing career where I am fighting a total of six bouts, especially against experienced and tough opponents, I have had to fight continuously. However, I am very happy with my performance. Have also made it to the category finals and just one more match left to win and defend my title.My game is improving as I go along so I hope to give my best in the finals Is.”
Having won two bronze medals at two World Championships in 2018 and 2019, Lovlina (75kg) wants to see her medal as gold this time and will give it her all to win it. She will take on two-time Commonwealth Games medalist Caitlin Parker of Australia in the final on Sunday. Like Nikhat, the Assamese boxer has also changed her weight category and has been on top of her game throughout the tournament. He defeated China’s very strong boxer Li Qian in the semi-final bout on Thursday.
Lovlina said, “When I started playing in the 75kg category, I played in the National Games, National Championship and Asian Championship. Now at this point of time, all the bouts I have played in this category have gone well and I think I am more comfortable in this category because I don’t need to control myself too much. The final fight ahead will be tough but I will follow what the coach tells me and implement some of my plans inside the ring depending on the situation. I will keep fighting for my country and try to win gold for India to the best of my abilities and give my 100 per cent.”
Sweety (81kg), playing in her second World Championship final, will take on 2018 world champion Wang Li Na of China in the title clash on Saturday. The veteran boxer from Haryana had to be content with a silver medal after reaching the final of the World Championship in 2014. That bout was against a Chinese opponent and therefore, she will do her best to avoid a repeat of that result this time around.
Sweety said, “The match (yesterday) was tough and the opponent was good but I was confident of my scoring and I was sure that I would win. I have a golden chance to convert my silver medal into gold and I hope that I can win.” I will be able to do this. I have worked day and night for this and I want to make my country proud.”
With these four medals, India is tied third with Colombia in the medals tally of the Mahindra IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship 2023.
