In the 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifier, Nishant Dev secured a thrilling 3-1 victory against British boxer Lewis Richardson in the men’s 71kg category. Displaying his attacking prowess, Nishant dominated the match with his long reach and effective right hooks, ultimately winning with a split decision.
However, the six-time Asian Championships medallist Shiva Thapa faced a tough challenge against Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Abdullaev, resulting in the referee stopping the contest in the first round. National champion Lakshya Chahar also exited the competition after a loss against Iran’s Gheshlaghi Meysam, despite a strong comeback in the final round.
Commonwealth Games 2022 bronze medallist Jaismine bowed out of the competition with a 0-5 loss against Japan’s Ayaka Taguchi. Looking ahead, youth world champion Ankushita Boro will face Sonvico Emilie of France, while national champion Sanjeet will square off against Aibek Oralbay of Kazakhstan.
The first World Olympic boxing qualification tournament is hosting over 590 boxers, offering a total of 49 quotas for the 2024 Paris Olympics. India has already secured four quotas for Paris 2024 with impressive performances at the Asian Games.
