Express News Service
Nikhat Zareen has been operating at a different level in recent times. After being in MC Mary Kom’s shadows for years, the 26-year-old clearly seems to be enjoying the present.
On Sunday, the 50kg boxer, who’s looking to pocket her maiden CWG title, delivered a boxing masterclass to Helena Ismael Bagao of Mozambique, overpowering her helpless rival with ease in Birmingham.
It was Helena who was the aggressor at the start of the bout. Nikhat was using the ring space to good effect and hitting on counters. As the round progressed, Nikhat was standing her ground and landing more combination punches. Helena seemed to be running out of gas and her punches were clearly missing the intended target.
Nikhat began the second round with some left-handed jabs while Helena, having recovered some energy, went for the big punches. But Nikhat was up to the task and with some lusty punches of her own had Helena at arm’s length. Every time Helena tried to show some intent, Nikhat had her on the backfoot with some well-executed punches.
The Indian, who etched her name in history books by winning gold during the IBA World Championships in May, seemed to be on song at the death. With her guard down, Nikhat was picking gaps with ease. The judges’ score (Nikhat was miles ahead) after the round was a clear indicator of how the bout had unfolded until then.
In the final round, Nikhat showed her ruthless side, something that’s vital at the elite level, as she went for the kill. Helena clearly lacked the speed and Nikhat was quick to make her pay on several occasions. The Indian was clearly hurting her opponent with some pinpoint blows on her head. With just less than 60 seconds remaining, the referee had seen enough and stopped the contest.
“The bout went according to plans. We are pleased with the performance. I thought the opponent was taking a lot of punches and the fight could have stopped earlier as well,” Bhaskar Bhatt, national women’s chief coach, who was by the ringside, told this daily.
The pugilist from Telangana will be up against Helen Jones in the quarterfinals. If Nikhat can beat Helen, she will assure herself a medal. Bhaskar is certain that Nikhat can keep up her strong run.
“She is playing with plenty of confidence. It’s a step-by-step process for her now. She is hungry for success. We are not bothered by who she is up against. We are just focussed on her,” Bhatt noted.
While Nikhat had a happy outing, Shiva Thapa, taking part in his second bout, lost against Scotland’s Reese Lynch. It was always going to be a tough bout for Thapa as he was up against a fighter who had won a bronze medal during the 2021 World Championships.
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