Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen will compete in her preferred 51kg category at the inaugural World Boxing Championships, entering the tournament with renewed belief and determination.
The 28-year-old Indian boxer, who last represented the national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, said she is eager to return to her best form on the global stage.
“I’m looking forward to being back on the international scene after a long time,” Zareen told Sportstar. “Everyone wants me to perform well, win a medal and make the country proud. But more than them, I want to bring back that old Nikhat who had the hunger to win medals at the Worlds.”
The tournament is being conducted by World Boxing, the newly formed international governing body for the sport. Zareen earned her spot after an impressive performance at the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament earlier this month, though she withdrew from the final due to injury concerns.
A two-time gold medalist at the World Championships in Istanbul (2022) and New Delhi (2023), Zareen remains confident in her ability to bounce back.
“Sometimes defeat happens. Maybe it was not in my destiny,” she said. “I don’t want to underestimate myself or say I’m not good enough to win an Olympic medal. Not everyone can win a world championship gold medal twice. I’m still that Nikhat with the hunger to achieve and make the country proud.”
Her comeback follows months of rehabilitation from a meniscus injury. Zareen admitted recovery was difficult but credited her mental toughness for helping her return.
“The recovery wasn’t easy, but I always kept myself strong, both physically and mentally,” she said. “Whenever I felt like the comeback was not going to happen, I reminded myself why I started. This is not the end.”
With the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 on the horizon, Zareen said her focus remains firm on the ultimate goal.
“My dream is to win an Olympic medal,” she said. “I’m not going to give up so easily.”
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