Nikhat Zareen defeats Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer to kick off her Paris 2024 campaign

Nikhat Zareen, two-time world champion, marked her Olympic debut with an impressive victory over Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer in the women’s 50kg division at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The bout, held at the North Paris Arena on Sunday, July 28, saw Zareen secure a unanimous points verdict, winning 5-0, advancing her to the Round of 16.

The match began with Zareen showing dominance in the first half of the opening round. However, she trailed after receiving only two 10s, as the referee warned her for holding Kloetzer’s head.

Despite this setback, Zareen found her rhythm in the second round. She managed to land significant blows, although both boxers exchanged hits. Kloetzer’s deducted point gave Zareen the edge, allowing her to win the judges' approval for that round.

By the third round, Zareen had fully recovered her form, securing the win with all judges ruling in her favor. This victory was particularly sweet for Zareen, who had missed the opportunity to represent India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after losing the trials.

Since then, Zareen has significantly bolstered her credentials, winning two world boxing titles, a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze medal at the Asian Games.

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Nikhat Zareen to face Chinese boxer Wu Yu in Round-of-16

Looking ahead, Nikhat Zareen faces a formidable opponent in the Round of 16: top-seeded Wu Yu of China. Wu Yu, the reigning world champion in the 52kg division and Asian Games champion, poses a significant challenge for Zareen. The bout is scheduled for Thursday, August 1, at 2:30 pm IST.

If Nikhat Zareen can overcome Wu Yu, she could potentially face Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat or Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova in the quarter-finals.

Interestingly, Zareen has a recent history with Bobokulova, having lost to the Uzbek boxer in the Strandja Memorial final in February. During that tournament, Bobokulova also defeated Wu Yu in the semi-finals.