Telangana pugilist Nikhat Zareen wins maiden national boxing championship

HYDERABAD: Telangana's pugilist Nikhat Zareen added one more feather in her fabled cap. On Monday, she won her maiden Women's National Boxing Championships title in Bhopal by defeating Anamika of Railways with a 4-1 verdict in her favour in the final.

Nikhat, a native of Nizamabad in Telangana, capped a dream year by emerging the national champion at home following her stupendous exploits at the IBA World Championship in Istanbul of Turkey. She notched up her first-ever world boxing title in May, 2022. Now, winning her maiden national championship, the gritty boxer, coming from an orthodox Muslim family in Nizamabad, joined an elite league of Indian women boxers and alongside the legendary Mary Com.

Competing in the 50-kg category, Nikhat Zareen stormed into the final of the Bhopal national championships after her one-sided bout against Shvinder Kaur in the semi-final. She outclassed her rival representing the All-India Police services 5-0 and set up her summit clash with Anamika.

Already labelled as India's next big thing in women's boxing after Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen defied all odds and tamed the adversities in the boxing ring and in life to carry out her journey to the pinnacle of success.

Congratulatory messages have been pouring in for the Telangana pugilist on winning her first national championship title.