Former World Champion boxer Nikhat Zareen and reigning World champion Jaismine Lamboria will headline the Indian boxing squad for the upcoming World Boxing Cup Finals scheduled from 14th November in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Tokyo Olympics medallist Lovlina Borgohain will miss the tournament as she will be going for nasal surgery to treat the extended bone in her nose. Former World champion in 80kg Category, Saweety Boora will replace Lovlina after dropping down to 75kg category.
“Yes, Lovlina was eligible for the tournament given her positioning in the rankings but she informed BFI about the nose surgery and that is why she is not part of the squad,” a BFI official confirmed about her absence to the Indian Express.
Apart from Saweety, Asian Games medallist Parveen Hooda will be back in action after serving a one year ban for Doping whereabouts failure after the Asian Games. The bronze medallist from Hangzhou was supposed to play at the 2024 Olympics but was ineligible after her ban. She will be making a return in the 60 kg category. “Right now, I didn’t want to cut much weight as this is my first international tournament after a lengthy ban. I wanted to ease into the international scene and that is why I am playing in the 60kg category,” Parveen told The Indian Express.
The men’s team had just one change from the squad that went to the World Championships in Liverpool in September. Naveen has replaced Harsh Chaudhary in the 90kg category. World Cup medallists Hitesh Gulia and Abinash Jamwal will lead the Indian challenge in the event.
The tournament is designed to pit top ranked boxers in the World Boxing rankings against each other. However, India is fielding boxers in each category by the virtue of being the hosts. Top eight ranked boxers in the recently released World Boxing rankings will compete against each other in the tournament which will also act as the season ending tournament offering 300 points to the champion in the new point based ranking system. Three Paris Olympic medallists Aeji Im (South Korea), Wu Shih Yi (Chinese Taipei), and Chen Nien-Chin (Chinese Taipei) will be part of the tournament alongside multiple World Champions and World Cup medallists.
Indian squad for World Boxing Cup Finals:
Men: Jadumani Singh (50 kg), Pawan Bartwal (55 kg), Sachin Siwach (60 kg) , Abhinash Jamwal (65 kg), Hitesh Gulia (70 kg), Sumit (75), Lakshya Chahar (80 kg), Jugnoo (85 kg), Naveen (90 kg), Narender (90+ kg)
Women’s: Minakshi (48 kg), Nikhat Zareen (51 kg), Preeti (54 kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg), Parveen Hooda (60 kg), Neeraj Phogat (65 kg), Arundhati Chaudhary (70 kg), Saweety Boora (75 kg), Nupur (80+ kg).
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
