Commonwealth Games champion Nitu, who was the first Indian to step into the ring, recorded a second round victory in the RSC (referee stoppage contest) over Madoka Wada of Japan in the quarter-finals.
Top seed Saweety confirmed her second world championship medal after beating 2018 bronze medalist Viktoriya Kebikava of Belarus 5-0. She had won the silver medal in 2014.
Power Packed Performance 💪🔥@saweetyboora secures 2️⃣nd medal for 🇮🇳 🥊Watch the action 🔗:… https://t.co/38tnT9aqqI
— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) 1679485551000
Sakshi Choudhary (52kg) and bronze medalist of the last edition Manisha Moun (57 kg), however, failed to reach the last four stages.
While Sakshi lost to Yu Wu of China 0-5, Manisha was outplayed by a 1-4 margin by Amina Zidani of France.
Nitu looked a little hesitant at first, but as the seconds passed she gained the confidence to push forward and attack.
Midway through the first round, 2022 Strandja Memorial gold medalist Nitu came forward and threw a combination of clean, precise punches to force the referee to give Wada her first standing count.
It’s a hat-trick 🤩1️⃣st medal confirmed for 🇮🇳 🔥💪Book your tickets now 🔗:https://t.co/k8OoHXoAr8@AjaySingh_SG… https://t.co/lK4GLF9XgJ
— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) 1679476036000
Another series of combination punches from Nitu in the second round forced the referee to stop the fight and rule in favor of the local boxer.
Nitu has won all three of his fights in the tournament so far by RSC verdicts.
“I had to be careful and not be aggressive because she (Wada) was also a southpaw like me, but towards the end (of the contest) I thought I could attack,” Nitu said after the fight.
“The good thing about having won my three fights by RSC is that in the next fights my opponents will be under pressure,” she said.
Multiple national champion Saweety, who received a first-round bye, was just one win away from a medal and the 30-year-old managed to make a comfortable one.
The fight between the two light heavyweight boxers was messy and filled with body shots. But Saweety defended and attacked well, landing hooks and jabs with ease.
Reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) and Nupur Sheoran (+81kg) will be looking to qualify for the final four stages later in the day.
(With PTI inputs)
