Nikhat Zareen Shines in Olympic Boxing Debut with a Tenacious Victory

Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen advanced to the pre-quarterfinals in the 50kg category at the Olympics with a unanimous victory over Germany's Maxi Carina Kloetzer. Despite a challenging start, Zareen showcased her tactical skills and resilience to claim a 5-0 win and set up a clash with China's Wu Yu.

Indian boxing star and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen powered into the women's 50kg Olympics pre-quarterfinals with a hard-fought victory over Germany's Maxi Carina Kloetzer here on Sunday.

Trailing on three cards after the first round, the 28-year-old from India turned the tide in her favor with a 5-0 triumph over Kloetzer in a gritty round of 32 battle at the North Paris Arena. Zareen, making her debut at the Games, faced an aggressive opponent but expertly forced her way to the center, landing some impactful blows.

Both boxers engaged in a body-focused battle, with Kloetzer using her jab effectively to take the first round in a 3-2 split verdict. However, Zareen quickly found her rhythm, delivering lethal hooks and showcasing her tactical prowess that impressed the judges. Although both pugilists were penalized, Zareen maintained her composure to dominate the subsequent rounds.

Ahead of a tough draw, Zareen will face top-seeded Asian Games and reigning flyweight world champion Wu Yu of China, who received a first-round bye, on Thursday. Earlier, another Indian boxer, Preeti Pawar, advanced to the pre-quarterfinals in the women's 54kg category after a unanimous decision win over Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh.

(With inputs from agencies.)