Ajit Karn
According to a press release from BFI, the announcement was made in the presence of Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, BFI President Ajay Singh, and the Indian contingent participating in the prestigious event.
The Cheetah mascot, Veera, is synonymous with strength, valour, bravery, and courage. Similar to the world’s fastest land animal, the Cheetah, boxers defeat their opponents with quick moments in the ring. Veera, the epitome of strength and courage, represents all the women boxers.
“We must develop the habit of hosting [large] international events. As we are organising the World Boxing Championships, I would like to request Ajay ji that we provide opportunities for young boxers from across the nation to come here and watch Indian and international stars as well as meet coaches through a programme. It will be a big chance for them to get an idea about the preparation that they would need to do in order to reach that level in the future. Thakur added, “I also congratulate BFI, Ajay Singh, and Team for hosting the Boxing World Championships for the third time, and I wish all the players the best of luck.”
Accepting the Minister’s suggestion, BFI President Ajay Singh said the BFI will try their best to get the young boxers and coaches from across the country at the tournament, giving them the opportunity to learn from the top stars of the sport.
“Anurag Singh Thakur has assumed responsibility for ensuring India becomes a sports power to be reckoned with. Boxing attempts to contribute to this larger goal. We are the world’s third-ranked boxing nation. Our women’s boxing team is something we are extremely proud of. The tournament will feature the most countries and boxers ever. We just hope that all of you [boxers] perform exceptionally well, and let’s put on a spectacular show for the entire world to see,” BFI President Singh said.
At the tournament that India will host for a record-breaking third time, the best boxers in the world, including eight Olympic medalists, will compete for the championship. The event will also feature a 20 crore rupee prize pool.
Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), a bronze medalist from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, has already won two bronze medals at the World Championships and will compete alongside seven other Olympic medalists in the upcoming Championships.
Nikhat Zareen, on the other hand, will defend her 50kg title. At the 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, she won the title of world champion.
Nitu Ghanghas, who won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, will also represent the nation in the 48 kilogramme division. The two-time Youth World Champion will attempt to add yet another significant medal to her collection.
Manisha Moun, who made her international debut with impressive performances at the 2018 World Championships in Delhi, will represent her country in the fiercely competitive 57 kilogramme featherweight division. At the 2022 World Championships, Manisha won the bronze medal.
Jaismine Lamboria, who won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, is a quarterfinalist in the 2022 edition and will box in the 60kg division.
Preeti and Sanamacha Chanu, two young boxers, will represent India in the 54kg and 70kg weight classes, respectively. Preeti won a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Championships, while Sanamcha is the 2021 Youth World Champion and was crowned National Champion in her category just recently.
Saweety Boora, the current Asian and national champion, will compete in the 81 kilogramme weight class. The seasoned competitor, who won a silver medal at the 2014 World Championships in South Korea, will be eager to continue her impressive form in order to add to her medal collection.
Sakshi Chaudhary (52kg), Shashi Chopra (63kg), and Manju Bamboria (66kg), who won gold at the 2019 South Asian Games, will all be eager to prove their mettle at the World Championships in their respective weight classes.
Nupur Sheoran, the defending national champion at 81 kg or more, will carry India’s medal hopes in the heavyweight division.
The event will feature a total prize pool of Rs 20 crore, of which Rs 10 crores will be awarded to gold medalists. Runners-up in their respective categories and bronze medalists will receive their prizes from pools totaling Rs 5 crores.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) will host the Women’s World Boxing Championships for the third time, the most by any country since the tournament’s inception. More than 350 boxers from 74 countries, including 12 Indians, have registered for this biennial event.
Also read this:Gujarat Assembly passes resolution against BBC documentary
Nitu Ghanghas (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (52kg), Preeti (54kg), Manisha Moun (57kg), Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Shashi Chopra (63kg), Manju Bamboria (66kg), Sanamcha Chanu (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Saweety Boora (81kg), and Nupur Sheor
