Hangzhou, Sep 29 (UNI) World champion and India's top pugilist Nikhat Zareen entered into the semifinals of the women’s 50 kg boxing event at the Asian Games 2023 here on Friday and secured 2024 Paris Olympics quota.
With this win, Nikhat has assured a medal for India at Hangzhou, and this is her first appearance at the Asian Games. She defeated Jordan's Hanan Nassar by RSC (referee stops count) in the quarterfinals in just 53 seconds.
The Jordanian boxer was declared unfit to continue by the referee soon after she suffered a volley of effective jabs inside a minute, allowing Nikhat to march into the last four stages.
She will next lock horns with Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat on Sunday.
In other results, Asian champion Parveen Hooda won her round of 16 bout against China's Zichun Xu by unanimous decision. Hooda landed some effective punches on the counter and won the opening two rounds.
Zichun Xu put up a fight in the final round but Parveen Hooda was in total control and edged out her opponent.
The Indian boxer will face Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in the quarterfinals.
Lakshya Chahar, meanwhile, lost by a 4:1 split decision to Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu of Kyrgyzstan in the men's 80kg round of 16.
On Thursday, Jaismine Lamboria defeated Hadeel Ashour of Saudi Arabia by RSC to progress to the quarter-finals of the women’s 60kg division. The Saudi Arabian boxer endured two standing counts in the second round before the bout was stopped.
Jaismine will face the Democratic Republic of Korea’s Won Ungyong in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
Deepak Bhoria lost by a 4:1 split decision to former world champion Tomoya Tsuboi of Japan in his men’s 51kg round of 16 clash.
In the men’s 71kg, Nishant Dev knocked out Phuoc Tung Bui of Vietnam in under two minutes to head into the quarter-finals. Nishant will face Japan’s Sewon Okazawa in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain will start her Asian Games 2023 boxing campaign on Saturday in the women’s 75kg quarter-finals. She will face Suyeon Seong of the Republic of Korea.
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