Paris 2024 Olympics boxing: Lovlina Borgohain wins opener, sets up fight with Asian Games champion in quarters

Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain comfortably advanced to the quarter-finals of the women’s 75kg boxing event at the Paris 2024 Olympics but has her task cut out if she has to assure herself a medal.

Borgohain, seeded eighth, defeated the unseeded Sunniva Hofstad of Norway by unanimous decision on Wednesday.

It was the Norwegian boxer who started aggressively in the bout, but Borgohain, a bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020 in the now-defunct 69kg category, expertly averted the attacks. The 26-year-old Indian then took control with some crucial blows and continued to dominate.

Borgohain was the superior boxer in the opening six minutes and all five judges ruled their decision in her favour. Despite some fightback from Hofstad in the final three minutes, Borgohain resisted and picked up a 5:0 victory.

Lovlina Borgohain is a win away from assuring herself a medal. In boxing, two bronze medals are awarded. But the Indian has a steep task ahead.

Borgohain will face top seed Li Qian of the Republic of China in the quarter-finals on Sunday. Both these boxers met in two major events last year - the Asian Games final and World Championships semi-final.

Li Qian, a two-time Olympic medallist, won the Asian Games final in Hangzhou, while Borgohain emerged on top in the World Championships semi-finals in New Delhi.

Later in the day, the unseeded Nishant Dev too won his opening match in the men’s 71kg by a 3:2 split decision against the seventh-seeded Jose Rodriguez Tenorio of Ecuador.

Nishant advanced to the quarter-finals and is one step away from a podium finish on his debut at the Summer Olympics.

In the quarters, the Indian boxer will face second-seeded Marco Verde of Mexico, who is the reigning Pan American champion in the category.

Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen be in action next. She will face reigning world champion Wu Yu of China in the women’s 50kg round of 16 on Thursday.