NEW DELHI: Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen advanced to the women’s 50kg Olympics pre-quarterfinals with a hard-fought 5-0 victory over Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Indian boxer, who is unseeded and making her Games debut, overcame a challenging start in a round of 32 contest at the North Paris Arena.
Trailing on three of the judges’ scorecards after the first round, Zareen bounced back with precision and tactical prowess.The German boxer aggressively attacked early on, closing the ring and using her jab to gain the upper hand in the first round with a 3-2 split verdict.
Zareen, however, forced her way back into the contest, landing powerful blows in the second round. The bout saw both boxers trading punches, but Zareen found her rhythm, connecting lethal hooks. Both pugilists were trying to impress the judges but Zareen showcased her tactical prowess.
During the intense second round, Kloetzer had a point deducted for not keeping her head up, but Zareen quickly lost the point advantage as she was penalized for holding. Despite these setbacks, Zareen maintained her composure and continued to land accurate blows.
In the final round, Kloetzer looked exhausted and resorted to grappling, leading to multiple warnings from the referee. Zareen, seizing the opportunity, took control of the round and secured the victory.
Next up for Zareen is a formidable challenge against top-seeded Asian Games and reigning flyweight world champion Wu Yu of China, who received a first-round bye. They are set to face off on Thursday.
Zareen’s victory was part of a strong showing by Indian boxers. On Saturday, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar also made an impressive start. Pawar earned a unanimous decision win over Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh to advance to the pre-quarterfinals in the women’s 54kg category.
The 28-year-old Indian boxer, who is unseeded and making her Games debut, overcame a challenging start in a round of 32 contest at the North Paris Arena.
Trailing on three of the judges’ scorecards after the first round, Zareen bounced back with precision and tactical prowess.The German boxer aggressively attacked early on, closing the ring and using her jab to gain the upper hand in the first round with a 3-2 split verdict.
Zareen, however, forced her way back into the contest, landing powerful blows in the second round. The bout saw both boxers trading punches, but Zareen found her rhythm, connecting lethal hooks. Both pugilists were trying to impress the judges but Zareen showcased her tactical prowess.
During the intense second round, Kloetzer had a point deducted for not keeping her head up, but Zareen quickly lost the point advantage as she was penalized for holding. Despite these setbacks, Zareen maintained her composure and continued to land accurate blows.
In the final round, Kloetzer looked exhausted and resorted to grappling, leading to multiple warnings from the referee. Zareen, seizing the opportunity, took control of the round and secured the victory.
Next up for Zareen is a formidable challenge against top-seeded Asian Games and reigning flyweight world champion Wu Yu of China, who received a first-round bye. They are set to face off on Thursday.
Zareen’s victory was part of a strong showing by Indian boxers. On Saturday, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar also made an impressive start. Pawar earned a unanimous decision win over Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh to advance to the pre-quarterfinals in the women’s 54kg category.
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