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Greater Noida, Jan 5: The rings at Gautam Buddha University finally crackled with the elite energy the Indian boxing circuit has come to expect. Following a rocky start to the tournament plagued by logistical delays, India's "Golden Girls" took to the canvas on Monday (January 5) to restore order, as Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, and Minakshi Hooda registered emphatic victories to launch their Senior National Boxing Championship campaigns.
Leading the charge for Telangana, two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen (48-51kg) showed no signs of rust. Facing Nidhi of Chandigarh, Zareen utilized her superior ring craft and lightning-fast combinations to secure a clinical 5:0 unanimous decision.
In the 45-48kg flyweight category, reigning World Champion
Minakshi proved why she is the current queen of the division. She dismantled Tamil Nadu's V Lakshaya S Vijayan with a surgical performance, mirroring Nikhat's 5:0 scoreline.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain (70-75kg) made a statement of intent in the middleweight division. Against Krisha Verma, Lovlina used her reach advantage and tactical patience to control the tempo from the first bell, comfortably advancing via a unanimous verdict.
A Historic "Unified" Platform
This year's edition marks a landmark moment for the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). For the first time in history, the Men's and Women's National Championships are being held simultaneously at the same venue.
While the opening day on Sunday was marred by a four-hour delay due to equipment transit issues, Monday saw the rhythm return. Over 600 boxers are currently vying for glory across 20 weight categories, with the stakes exceptionally high as performances here will dictate the national camp selection for the upcoming Asian Games and Commonwealth Games cycles.
Men's Circuit: Young Guns and Seasoned Pros
The men's draw was equally high-octane. In the 47-50kg category, Sagar continued his upward trajectory with a 5:0 win over Ashutosh. The middleweight category saw Sumit (70-75kg) dominate Arshpreet Singh, while the rising star Hitesh (65-70kg) provided a tactical masterclass to beat Ankit 5:0.
In the bantamweight and featherweight classes, Sachin (55-60kg) and Ankush (50-55kg) both secured clean sweeps against Tushar and Suraj Bhan, respectively, ensuring that the favorites remain firmly on track for the podium.
