Nikhat Zareen stuns two-time world champion, assures medal at Bosphorus boxing meet
Along with Nikhat Zareen, Gaurav Solanki also progressed to the semi-finals in Turkey. Two-time Olympian Shiva Thapa bowed out.
India’s Nikhat Zareen beat two-time world champion Nazym Kyzaibay at the Bosphorus boxing tournament in Istanbul on Thursday to progress to the semi-finals of the women’s 51kg event.
The Indian boxer beat 27-year-old Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan by a 4-1 split decision to assure herself a medal.
Nazym has won gold medals in the 2014 and 2016 world boxing championships and a bronze in the 2012 edition.
Nikhat Zareen, 24, has now beaten world champions on successive days. On Wednesday, Nikhat, an Asian championships bronze medallist, stunned reigning champion Ekaterina Paltceva of Russia by unanimous decision.
Commonwealth Games champion Gaurav Solanki too assured India a medal. Competing in the 57kg, the Indian boxer beat local hope Mizan Aykol by a 4-1 split verdict.
Two-time Olympian Shiva Thapa, however, lost 4-1 to Turkey’s Hakan Dogan in the 63kg category.
World championship silver medallist Sonia Lather (57kg), Parveen (60kg) and Jyoti Grewal (69kg) also suffered losses in their quarter-final matches.
In the semi-finals, Nikhat Zareen will be up against Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Turkey. Cakiroglu is a silver medal winner from the 2019 world championships and is also the reigning European champion.
Gaurav Solanki will face Argentina’s Nirco Cuello in his semi-final bout on Friday.
A 13-member -- eight men and five women -- Indian boxing contingent was sent to the Bosphorus boxing tournament.