How did Pooja Rani Bohra perform at Tokyo Olympics? A detailed look at the Indian boxer's performance at the previous Olympic Games

Pooja Rani Bohra is an Indian middleweight boxer who participated in the 2020 Summer Olympics. She was knocked out of the tournament after a defeat against Li Qian of China in the women’s 75kg quarter-finals following a challenging middleweight contest by unanimous decision in the game contested at the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.

Pooja Rani, a two-time Asian champion, struggled to outwit the strategically adept boxer Li Qian. The 32-year-old Indian middleweight made a strong start but Li Qian, a bronze medalist at Rio 2016 bounced back, gaining momentum quickly with her well-timed punches.

Li Qian, a former world champion, showcased brilliant footwork and proficient defense and eventually evaded most of the Indian's attacks while effectively landing her own left crosses.

The Chinese boxer dominated the first round. Meanwhile, in the second round, the Indian faced Li Qian's aggressive onslaught on two occasions. She attempted to gain control but struggled to contain Li Qian's occasional stance shifts. Li Qian, the former world champion, maintained a steady attack, landing some strong punches.

Pooja, who struggled in the first two rounds, couldn't make any impact in the third as well. The Chinese boxer asserted dominance over her, effectively utilizing her powerful jabs, and ultimately declared the winner by a unanimous decision. In addition, the defeat marked Pooja's third straight loss to Li Qian. She has earlier suffered defeat at the 2014 Asian Games and the 2020 Olympic qualification tournament.

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A brief look at Pooja Rani's boxing career

Pooja Rani has showcased her prowess in various major events thus far. The 32-year-old won the bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games in the 75 kg category.

The Haryana-born boxer also won the gold medal in South Asian Games 2016. She also clinched a Silver medal (2012) and Bronze (2015) in Asian Championship 75 kg weight categories. She has also participated at the Commonwealth Games 2014 in the 75 kg category.