Nikhat Zareen in action during Paris Olympics 2024© AFP
Paris:
In one of the biggest upsets of the Olympic Games boxing competition, two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (50kg) bowed out after a 0-5 loss to Asian Games gold-medallist Wu Yu, completely outmaneuvered by the Chinese in a stunningly lopsided bout on Thursday. Nikhat was unseeded for the Games as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is holding the boxing competition, doesn't recognise the International Boxing Association (IBA), which conducts the world championship. One of India's strongest medal contenders, Nikhat was put under pressure by the top-seeded reigning flyweight (52kg) world champion in the opening round itself.
Yu was quick off the blocks and though Nikhat tried to counter-attack, she wasn't able to connect. The reason being, Yu's brilliant footwork, which allowed her to consistently switch her stance to avoid the blows.
Trailing 1-4, Nikhat found a bit more success in the second round as she landed a few straights but Yu managed to connect some telling hooks on the Indian's face. Nikhat ended the round with a few body shots.
Not much changed in the third round as Nikhat desperately tried to connect but continued to fail due to Yu's nimble movements.
Despite this loss, Nikhat remains one of the most consistent Indian boxers, having won back-to-back gold medals at the world championships and the 2022 Commonwealth Games besides a bronze in the Asian Games last year.