Nishant Dev Shines, Ankushita Boro and Sanjeet Disappoint in World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers
Nishant Dev Advances in World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers, Ankushita Boro and Sanjeet Suffer Defeats
Indian boxer Nishant Dev has secured a spot in the pre-quarterfinals of the men’s 71kg category at the first World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers. The World Championships bronze medalist outclassed Georgia’s Madiev Eskerkhan with a dominant 5-0 unanimous decision on Thursday night.
Dev’s victory was a testament to his aggressive and calculated approach. Tokyo Olympics quarterfinalist Eskerkhan struggled to keep up with Dev’s relentless attacks. Despite Eskerkhan’s attempts to regain momentum in the second round, Dev remained unyielding, denying him any opportunity for a comeback.
Meanwhile, India’s youth world champion Ankushita Boro (66kg) and national champion Sanjeet (92kg) faced contrasting fortunes in their opening round matches. Boro fought valiantly but ultimately fell short 2-3 against Sonvico Emilie of France. Sanjeet, on the other hand, suffered a disappointing 0-5 defeat to Aibek Oralbay of Kazakhstan.
These results continue a challenging campaign for India’s boxers at the tournament. Despite the presence of over 590 boxers, India has yet to secure any additional quotas for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The tournament offers a total of 49 quotas, including 28 for men and 21 for women.
India had previously secured four quotas through Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) at the Asian Games. The second World Qualification Tournament will be held in Bangkok from May 23 to June 3, providing another opportunity for Indian boxers to qualify for the Paris Olympics.