World Boxing Championship: Nikhat, Neetu, Manisha and Jasmine in quarterfinals

Indian boxers put up a stellar show at the Women’s World Championships on Tuesday as Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Neetu Gangas (48kg), Manisha Maun (57kg) and Jasmine (60kg) registered victories to enter the quarterfinals. Nikhat defeated Mexico’s Patricia Alvarez Herrera 5-0 to register her third win of the tournament. Neetu and Manisha won by RSC (referee stoppage). Commonwealth Games champion Neetu defeated Tajikistan’s Sumaiya Kosimova in the first round, while last year’s bronze medalist Manisha got the better of Turkey’s Nur Elif Turhan.

Jasmine came back from a first round deficit to beat Tajikistan’s Mijgona Samadova. Shashi Chopra (63kg), however, crashed out after losing 0-4 to Mei Kito of Japan. This was the second match of Neetu whose decision came on RSC. Nikhat took a few seconds to read her opponent’s game before launching her counter-attack. He used his nimble feet to avoid Herrera’s punches. Both the boxers previously contested in the 52kg category. Well-acquainted with the aggressive style of the Mexican boxer, Nikhat landed precise punches.

Herrera, who had suffered a loss to Nikhat in the previous session as well, tried to find her rhythm but Nikhat sent her out with a flurry of punches. Nikhat, the unseeded player of the tournament, said, “I am happy that I defeated the player who was the top seed. “I am still recovering from my last round bout as that too was against a top seed. It was tough and he landed pretty well so I had a sore neck and my body was a little slower than my last bout.

But I am happy that I won this time by unanimous decision. “She said,” This is the first competition in my boxing career that I will play six bouts because I am not seeded, but I am not focusing on that.