India’s Zareen survives scrappy 51kg round-of-16 contest against Japan’s Yuna Nishinaka to enter quarter-finals at World Boxing Championships
India’s Nikhat Zareen (right) during her pre-quarterfinal bout against Japan’s Yuna Nishinaka at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool on Tuesday. Pic/Getty Images
Two-time champion Nikhat Zareen survived a gritty test to edge past Japan’s Yuna Nishinaka and progress to the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Championships here on Tuesday.
Unseeded in the draw, Nikhat overcame a scrappy women’s 51kg round of 16 contest to secure a unanimous decision, though the scoreline did not reflect the stiff resistance from her 21-year-old opponent.
Nishinaka troubled the Indian with constant clinching and was docked two points for excessive holding. Both boxers started aggressively, surging forward with intent. Nikhat landed a couple of early hooks, but the round was fragmented by repeated tangles, and the Japanese fighter edged it 3-2 on the cards.
In the second, Nikhat adjusted, landing cleaner shots while Nishinaka continued to tie her up by hooking her arm around the Indian’s neck. The 29-year-old responded with sharper counters, taking the round 4-1.
The pattern continued in the final three minutes, with the referee penalising Nishinaka again for persistent clinching. Nikhat did just enough to hold her advantage, grinding out the victory to stay on course for a third World championships medal.
Nikhat now faces her toughest challenge yet in the quarter-finals against two-time Olympic silver medallist and 2022 world light flyweight champion Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu.
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