India’s boxing team has secured six quota places for the 2024 Paris Olympics after a challenging qualifying period. The road to Paris was not without its hurdles. Disappointing performances by male boxers in the initial qualifying events led to the resignation of High Performance Director Bernard Dunne. Further setbacks included the cancellation of Parveen Hooda’s 57kg quota place due to a whereabouts violation.
However, the tide turned with strong performances from veteran boxers. Amit Panghal (51kg), a former World Championships silver medalist and Commonwealth Games champion, secured a quota place, as did Nishant Dev (71kg), a current World bronze medalist. Jaismine Lamboria reclaimed the 57kg berth in the second World qualifying event in Bangkok, demonstrating her resilience after a disappointing showing in earlier competitions.
India will field a formidable team of six boxers, with a majority being women for the first time. While the total quota places are fewer than the nine secured for Tokyo 2020, the quality of the team remains high. World champions Nikhat Zareen (50kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), along with Asian under-22 champion Preeti Pawar (54kg), who secured their quota places at the Asian Games, have ample time to prepare for Paris.
Nikhat Zareen, determined to make her Olympic debut memorable, has been in exceptional form since winning her second consecutive World title in Delhi. Her achievements, including a silver in the Strandja Memorial tournament and a gold medal in the Elorda Cup, solidify her impressive track record. However, she faces tough competition from several formidable boxers in her weight class, including 2020 Olympic silver medalist Buse Naz Cakiroglu, European Games bronze medalist Giordana Sorrentino, and World and Olympic medalist Ingrit Valencia. Other notable opponents include Worlds bronze medalist Yasmine Moutaqui, Asian Games champion Wu Yu, silver medalist Chuthamat Raksat, and three-time Worlds medalist Nazym Kyzaibay.
Lovlina Borgohain, the only Indian boxer to medal in Tokyo, has shown significant improvement since moving up to the 75kg weight class. Her recent successes, including a silver medal at the Asian Games and a bronze at the Grand Prix 2024 in the Czech Republic, will undoubtedly motivate her for a second Olympic medal. She will face strong competitors like Worlds bronze medalist Davina Michel, European Games champion Aoife O’Rourke, World champion Khadija El-Mardi, Asian Games gold medalist Li Qian, Commonwealth Games champion Tammara Thibeault, and two-time Worlds medalist Atheyna Bylon.
Preeti Pawar, a promising southpaw, has impressed in the World championships, securing a bronze in the Asian Games and a gold in the Asian under-22 championships. Her strong work ethic will be crucial as she faces tough rivals like European Games champion Stanimira Petrova, former World champion Hatice Akbas, Asian Games champion Pang Chol-mi, Olympic bronze medalist Huang Hsiao-wen, Worlds silver medalist Yeni Arias, and two-time Worlds medalist Jutamas Jitpong.
Nishant Dev, the first Indian male boxer to qualify for Paris Olympics, displayed resilience by securing a berth in the second World qualifier after earlier setbacks. He showcased his prowess in the World Championships last year, securing a rare victory over a Cuban boxer. In his quest for a podium finish, Nishant will face formidable opponents such as European Games silver medalist Vahid Abasov, Asian Games champion Sewon Okazawa, 2023 World welterweight champion Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev, World light middleweight champion Aslanbek Shymbergenov, 2021 Worlds silver medalist Omari Jones, and 2020 Olympics welterweight bronze medalist Aidan Walsh.
Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Jaismine Lamboria, who struggled in the Asian Games and the first World qualifier in the 60kg weight class, showed remarkable improvement by switching to 57kg on short notice. She has successfully reclaimed the quota place India lost due to Parveen Hooda’s suspension. However, she faces stiff competition from Olympic bronze medalist and World champion Irma Testa, Commonwealth Games champion Michaela Walsh, European Games gold winner Amina Zidani, Asian Games gold medalist Lin Yu-Ting, silver medalist Karina Ibragimova, and Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio.
Amit Panghal, who secured a gold medal at the Strandja Memorial tournament this year, will participate in the Olympics for a second time. He faces formidable opponents like local favorite Billal Bennama, a three-time Worlds medalist, European champion Samet Gumus, Asian Games silver medalist Thitisan Panmod, World champion and former Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov, and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Saken Bibossinov.
The Indian boxing squad, which trained in Saarbrucken, Germany, to acclimatize before the Games, hopes to see their hard work pay off in Paris. The team, composed of Amit Panghal (51kg), Nishant Dev (71kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), will be representing India with determination and grit.
