Knockout punch: Nizamabad's Nikhat Zareen storms into Women's World Boxing Championships final

Hyderabad: Nikhat Zareen continued her lethal form and sailed into the final of the 12th IBA Women's Boxing World Championships in Istanbul on Wednesday. Zareen defeated Brazil's Caroline de Almeida in the 52kg semi-final by a 5-0 unanimous verdict. She is now assured a silver in the finals where she will take on Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Zareen hails from Nizamabad in Telangana. She has been boxing since a child. She won a gold medal at the International Boxing Association Women's Youth and Junior World Championships in 2011. She won a bronze at the 2nd India Open International Boxing Tournament in 2019 held in Guwahati.

In the same year, beating Turkey's Olympics silver medalist Buse Naz Cakiroglu, she won the gold medal in Starndja Memorial Boxing Tournament. However, in the 57kg weight category, Manisha Moun finished her campaign with a bronze medal as she lost her semi-final bout by unanimous decision to Italy's Irma Testa.

In the last edition of the IBA Women's World Championships held in Russia in 2019, India concluded with one silver and three bronze medals. Indian boxers have won 36 medals, including nine gold, eight silver, and 19 bronze, in the 11 previous editions of the tournament, so far – the third-highest after Russia (60) and China (50).

Six-time champion Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, and Lekha C are the Indian women boxers who have won the world boxing championship. All eyes are on Zareen to see if she will make it to the list.