Two-time World Champion and India’s star pugilist Nikhat Zareen has reminded the world exactly who she is as she stormed her way into 51kg and came out winning Gold!
At the recently concluded World Boxing Cup 2025, in Greater Noida, the home crowd had to go crazy as the Indian boxing star beat Chinese Taipei’s Yi-Xuan Guo by a 5-0 unanimous decision in the final.
“It’s not just about the medal for me.. it’s more about living up to the expectations of all Indians,” says the 29-year-old. From the first bell to the final punch, she didn’t blink, didn’t step back and didn’t give her opponents even a moment to breathe. Sure her performance felt less like a comeback and more like a statement. She agrees, adding, “When you are playing at home, on the big stage, in front of your own people, you do not need anything to motivate you because the expectations are enough to push you to be at your best.”
As the boxer from Nizamabad, Andhra Pradesh stands atop the podium yet again, making India proud, she recalls how she prepared herself for it, fighting all negative thoughts and disappointments. “In the offseason, I prepared myself for this competition. I went to Patiala and did a lot of sparring with different styles of boxers, and that’s what prepared me for this win.”
“I used to look into the mirror and cry, console myself, speak to my God and tell myself, ‘Nikhat tu tiger hai’! That’s all I needed to be back in that mindset of not giving up, ever… Aur uske baad Salman Khan ke gaano ko sunkar would have fun”Climbing to this peak from a place of self-doubt, which began right after her Paris Olympics run ended, Nikhat doesn’t believe in saying but proving with her punches. “I was feeling very low after the Olympics but then sometimes in life things do not happen the way you plan and you need to move on quickly. During those days when I was feeling low and there was sometimes no one to share it with… I used to look into the mirror and cry, console myself, speak to my God and after that I could see a glow on my face and I used to then tell myself, ‘Nikhat tu tiger hai’ and that’s all I needed to be back in that mindset of not giving up, ever! Aur uske baad Salman Khan ke gaano ko sunkar I used to have fun.”
What makes her victory sweeter is not just her penchant to win only gold, but also the boost that it has given to the rise of Indian boxing in the world arena. The hosts (India) dominated the tournament with nine golds and 20 medals in total. “Indian boxers are all back to their best. Yeh sachh hai ki humne dominate kara hai. I feel we will all improve even more, and this is just the beginning of a comeback.”