IBA Women's World Boxing Championships: Top five Indian boxers to watch out for

The tournament will take place in New Delhi from March 15 to 26.

The Indian boxing contingent will look to break records at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2023. India's charge in the tournament at home (Delhi) will be led by reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain.

For the third time, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) will host the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships, the most by any country since the tournament's inception, and 350+ boxers from 74 countries have registered so far for this biennial event, including 12 Indians.

The event will have a total prize pool of INR 20 crore, with the gold medalists receiving INR 10 crore. Boxers who placed second or third in their categories and those who take bronze will receive prizes from pools worth INR 5 crores. The Championships will be held at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi from March 15 to March 26.

Here are the top five Indian boxers to watch out for at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships:

5. Manisha Moun

Manisha Moun, who made her international debut at the 2018 World Championships in Delhi, will represent the country in the highly competitive 57kg featherweight category. She took bronze in the 2022 World Championships. Manisha, an ardent fan of Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko, rose to prominence during the 2018 World Championships in New Delhi.

She reached the quarter-finals in her debut in then the tournament. The Haryana girl cemented her reputation as a giant killer by knocking out two-time World Championships medalist Christina Cruz. She then packed off reigning World Champion boxer Dina Zhalaman of Kazakhstan.

4. Saweety Boora

Saweety Boora, the reigning Asian and national champion, will compete in the 81kg category. The seasoned competitor, who won a silver medal at the World Championships in South Korea in 2014, will be eager to maintain her impressive form.

Despite all odds, Saweety Boora has emerged as one of the country's top female boxers. The 30-year-old recently won a gold medal at the Asian Championships in Jordan and defended her national title at the Bhopal National Championships. The boxing powerhouse has helped female boxers pursue a career in the sport.

3. Nitu Ghanghas

Nitu Ghanghas, who won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, will also compete for the country in the 48kg weight class. The two-time Youth World Champion will look to add to her collection of major medals. Like her idol Mary Kom, Nitu Ghanghas is a southpaw, and her power and speed in the ring are reminiscent of a young Mary.

But it is Nitu's ruthless aggression and unwavering will to win that most resemble the Manipuri legend. However, the highlights of her youth career were the twin world championship gold medals she won in 2017 in Guwahati and in 2018 in Budapest, Hungary. In 2018, the southpaw also won the Asian and Indian youth titles.

2. Lovlina Borgohain

Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), a 2020 Tokyo bronze medalist, has two World Championship bronze medals. She will compete for glory in the upcoming Championships alongside seven other Olympic medalists.

The 25-year-old has represented India at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. She was chosen for the prestigious event following some outstanding performances in recent months. It included gold at the India Open, bronze at the Asian Championships in Vietnam, and bronze at the President's Cup in Astana.

The Assam boxer earned a bronze medal in her first appearance at the World Championship. The event was held in India for the first time in November 2018.

In 2019, she won another bronze medal at the World Championships in Russia. In 2020, she became the first Assamese boxer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, becoming India's only second woman boxer to win an Olympic medal after Mary Kom.

1. Nikhat Zareen

In the 50kg category, Nikhat Zareen will defend her title. She was crowned world champion at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2022. Nikhat Zareen, the reigning world champion, is among the current crop of boxers who have thrived internationally.

The boxer became the fifth Indian woman to win Senior World Championship gold in 2022. After proving her worth at the World Championships, the pugilist from Nizamabad went on to win gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the recently concluded National Championship in Bhopal.