Nishant Dev, the bronze medallist at the 2023 World Championships, secured a convincing 5-0 victory against Greece’s Christos Karaitis, securing a spot in the men’s 71kg quarterfinals at the 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
With this triumph, Nishant is on the verge of confirming his participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, as the ongoing qualifying tournament grants quotas to all four semi-finalists in the men’s event.
In the initial stages of the bout, Nishant adopted a cautious approach, allowing Karaitis to seek early points. However, the Indian boxer quickly found his rhythm, executing impressive combinations and capitalizing on his speed to secure points effectively. Nishant excelled in counterattacks and accelerated his pace in the closing seconds of the first round, comfortably winning it.
Entering the next round, Nishant continued his dominating performance, displaying lethal southpaw techniques. Employing multiple combinations, he surprised his opponent, leaving the Greek boxer seemingly bewildered. Nishant’s left hook pierced through Karaitis’s defense, resulting in a standing count. The Indian boxer maintained his dominance, using effective jabs to secure a one-sided victory in the final three minutes.
The 23-year-old Haryana-born boxer will face Omari Jones of the USA, the 2021 World Championships silver medallist, in the upcoming quarterfinals.
India has already earned four quotas for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) securing their berths through impressive performances at the Asian Games.
