"Never saw her game": How Jyoti Gulia upstaged two-time World Champion Nazym Kyzaiby at Strandja Memorial

With six-time World Champion and boxing legend Mary Kom as her inspiration, a young Jyoti Gulia has made significant strides in her career, with the most recent one coming at the 72nd Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, in the last week of February.

Gulia upstaged two-time world champion Nazym Kyzaiby of Kazakhstan 3-2 in a closely fought encounter to enter the 51kg quarter-finals.

Her win over the Kazak boxer was impressive as she had no idea about her fighting technique and went into the ring with sheer self-confidence. She showed terrific footwork and attacking intent to catch her opponent off guard.

"Ahead of the fight, I never saw her game and had just heard that she's a good boxer. I could not watch her fights before (video analysis) and during the competition as well because we were not allowed to. And it was my first fight against her," Gulia told the Olympic Channel.

"When I had to face her, I knew she is good, but after entering the ring, my mindset was to win by giving my 100 per cent," she added.

Coming from a conservative family, it can be said that Gulia had a path-breaking journey of sorts.

Gulia, only 20, has a long career ahead of her but it might not even have started if not for the support of her mother. She stood by her side when other elder family members were against her choice of career.

Most of her family members, including her father and uncle, were concerned about her safety.

"Six-to-seven years before, women (in my family) were not allowed to go out and play. My family which includes my brother, father and uncle never wanted me to go out. But I wanted to somehow go out. I only went out for school and returned back home.

"At our center nearby, one of these girls won a competition, and she was applauded by everyone. Even I felt then that I should play. But I was denied permission initially. I requested my mother and she allowed me to go out for an hour without letting anyone know. I told my other family members that I'm going to see my friends," Gulia revealed.

With the help of her mother, Gulia would often sneak off for practice or tell her father Maman Singh that she is going to meet her friends and rather go to train under her coach Sudhir Hooda.

Hooda started boxing training at her village in Roorkee. But after he shifted base to Rohtak, Gulia often found herself alone and struggling, before Vijay Hooda took her under his wings.

"He (Sudhir Hooda) started boxing in the (Roorkee) village. But then after two years, he went away. After that, we were alone as he went to Rohtak. But then I trained under Vijay Hooda from 2014," she said.

She made the most of the opportunities that came by and made an impression on the national stage. International success soon followed as she became the 2017 world youth champion.

Now, after her moment in the limelight at the Strandja Memorial, Gulia is seen as a star for the future. She might have lost in the next round after defeating the Kazak boxer, but not before showing a glimpse of her talent.

Gulia believes the coming years will be crucial and wants to peak for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"2024 Olympics is the target. But 2021 and 2022 are crucial as Asian Championship and World Championship will be held in these years. I will also be focusing on good performances at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games".