2017 World Youth Champion Nitu (48 kg) continued her good form and reached the quarter-finals of the 12th edition of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships when she defeated Spaniard Lopez Del Arbol by unanimous decision on Saturday in Istanbul. Nitu, who won the gold medal at the Strandja Memorial tournament in Sofia this year, dominated proceedings from the start. The boxer from Bhiwani showed relentless energy, displaying her brilliant footwork and speed to land precise punches.
Nitu upped the ante in the next two rounds and continued with her attacking approach without giving her opponent any chance and won the fight convincingly 5-0.
Her next opponent is Kazakhstani Alua Balkibekova in Monday’s quarterfinals.
Later tonight Manisha (57kg) will compete against Svetlana Staneva from Bulgaria.
On Sunday, 6 Indian boxers, including Nikhat, will compete in the round of 16 matches.
Nikhat (52kg) and Shiksha (54kg) then face Mongolian Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg and Asian bronze medalist Yesugen Oyuntsetseg of Mongolia, while Parveen takes on former US Olympic champion Jajaira Gonzalez.
Anamika (50kg) will take on World Cup bronze medalist Kristy Lee Harris of Australia, while Jaismine (60kg) will take on Australia’s Angela Harries.
Meanwhile, 2017 youth world champion Ankushita (66 kg) will make her elite World Cup debut against Poland’s Aneta Rygielska.
This year’s event, marking the 20th anniversary of the IBA Women’s World Championships, will be played through May 20.
promoted
In the last edition of the tournament, which was held in Russia in 2019, Indian boxers took one silver and three bronze medals.
Indian boxers have won 36 medals, including nine gold, eight silver and 19 bronze, in the 11 previous editions of the tournament, which is the third highest after Russia (60) and China (50). In the latest edition of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, held in Russia in 2019, Indians finished with one silver and three bronze medals.
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