Paris Olympics 2024: Boxer Nikhat Zareen's Olympic dream concluded prematurely as the two-time world champion was defeated by China's Wu Yu in a unanimous decision during her Round of 16 bout on Thursday, August 1.

One of India's top medal prospects, Nikhat Zareen, was eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals of her boxing event at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, August 1. The two-time world champion lost decisively to top seed Wu Yu of China by unanimous decision. Despite defeating Germany's Maxi Kloetzer in the opening round, Nikhat couldn't overcome the Chinese contender.

Nikhat Zareen was defeated in the initial two rounds by split decision and was thoroughly outperformed in the final round, ultimately losing the bout by unanimous decision with all five judges favouring China's Wu Yu. Zareen struggled to leverage her height advantage as Wu Yu demonstrated exceptional defensive skills, adeptly evading jab attempts by swaying and ducking. Wu, having received a bye in the opening round, appeared fresh and well-prepared. While Zareen had dominated Maxi in the first round, she experienced a reversal of fortune in the second round.

Nikhat Zareen faced a challenging draw in the women’s 50kg category, adding to the difficulty of her path. Despite winning the world championship title in the 50kg category in 2022 and 2023, Nikhat was unexpectedly unseeded. The International Olympic Committee does not recognise the International Boxing Association (IBA), the body responsible for the world championships, which meant her recent results did not factor into the seeding. The seeding process appears perplexing, especially since a two-time Olympic champion was slated to face the top seed as early as the second round in the women’s 50kg category.

India's boxing performance at the Paris Olympics has been a mixed bag. Only Lovlina Borgohain, the Tokyo bronze medallist, and Nishant Dev have advanced to the quarter-finals. Lovlina, who secured victory over Sunniva Hofstad in the women's 75kg division, is now one win away from clinching a medal. Similarly, Nishant Dev, who triumphed over Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Tenorio in the Round of 16, is also on the brink of a medal.

Earlier in the tournament, Amit Panghal, Jasmine Lamboria, and Preeti Pawar were eliminated early, dampening India's prospects for a boxing medal surge.