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World boxing: Nitu, Nikhat win in style, enter quarters
The young 48kg boxer had a second Referee Stopped Contest verdict and world champion Nikhat Zareen had a unanimous points verdict in the women’s world championships being held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium
The left jab strikes her opponents lightning quick, and then comes the stinging right. Nitu Ghanghas is a sensation in the ring. She revels in blistering combats and often her contests are over inside the three rounds. On Tuesday, she breezed into the quarter-finals of 48kg, overpowering Qosimova Sumaiya of Tajikistan with a first round Referee Stopped Contest (RSC).
The 22-year-old has been going about her bouts at express pace at the ongoing women’s boxing world championships. It was the second RSC verdict for her. The first, against Korea’s Kang Doyeon, came within two minutes of the first round. (A bout is of three rounds of 3 minutes each). Against Sumaiya, the referee gave the standing count twice in succession before halting the bout.
The tall boxer from Bhiwani, Haryana – she is a two-time world youth champion – is one of the most talented boxers to come through the ranks. The confidence with which the Commonwealth Games champion struts around the ring makes her look unbeatable. She wants a real fight but so far her opponents have not been able to stand up to her pace and power.
“After the first bout went to RSC, I was looking forward to fighting three rounds for good practice but today also my opponent gave up in the first round,” Nitu said.
As soon as the bout began, Nitu’s left jab threw Sumaiya off balance. Without giving the Tajik boxer any time to recover, she delivered fast combination punches that rained on Sumaiya till the referee intervened.
“That’s the way she plays, very aggressively,” says India youth women’s team coach Amanpreet Kaur, who has seen Nitu from her junior days.
“She is a determined boxer. She has good reach but what sets her apart is her speed. It is natural talent. Her left jab is very sharp, only an opponent with good reflexes can evade it. And her right punch is very powerful,” says Kaur.
“If you see her competitions from world youth to senior worlds last year and at domestic level, most of her fights end in RSC.”
Competing in a division her idol MC Mary Kom once dominated, Nitu has big boots to fill. But she has made an impressive start to her international career. At the 2022 CWG, she was unstoppable. Her first round opponent Nicole Clyde gave up unable to take the pounding; in the semis, she won by RSC against Priyanka Dhillon of Canada.
In the final too she was relentless to win 5-0 against England’s Demie Jade Resztan. The job done, Nitu stood on the podium with moist eyes, recalling the sacrifices of her father Jai Bhagwan, who took long unpaid leaves from his job in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha as well as a loan for his daughter’s boxing career.
She has gone through testing times with her place in the side questioned. She could not compete in the senior nationals due to illness but was called up to the national camp because of her CWG showing. The 2018 world championships silver medallist Manju Rani, also in the weight category, went to court against her omission.
“If anyone can beat Manju it is Nitu. It was difficult because Nitu had to prove herself at the camp in a short time. Also, the mental pressure that comes because she could not compete in the nationals and didn’t know if she would make it to the squad,” says Kaur.
At last year’s worlds, Nitu lost in the final after winning two rounds with unanimous verdicts. She is now one bout away from a medal, which is assured if she beats Japan’s Madoka Wada next.
Nikhat through
There was no stopping Nikhat Zareen, who showed her class in beating Mexico’s Fatima Herrera 5-0 to storm into the 50kg quarterfinals. Showing fine ring craft, Nikhat attacked from the start and smartly avoided Herrera’s punches. Last year’s 52kg world champion is competing in the lower Olympic division.
“Never in my career have I faced a draw where I will have to play six bouts. But it’s not in my hands. Every bout will give me confidence to move ahead. I beat Fatima at the last worlds too. My category has changed from 52kg and my speed has increased, but I still have a lot of work to do,” said Nikhat, who faces Thai Chuthamat Rakshat in the quarters.
Manisha Moun (57kg) and Jasmine Lamboria (60kg) also entered the last eight while Shashi Chopra (63kg) and Manju Bamboriya (66kg) lost.
