Boxing in CWG: Nikhat, Lovlina get easy opening draws

BIRMINGHAM: World champion Nikhat Zareen and reigning Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain have been handed a relatively easy opening round draws in the women's boxing competition of the Commonwealth Games which begins here with the opening ceremony on Thursday.

Nikhat will open her campaign in the women's 48-50kg light flyweight category against Helena Ismael Bagao of Mozambique on Sunday. A victory would see her pitted against another easy opponent in Helen Jones of Wales in the quarterfinals. Lovlina will also be up against the lesser-known Ariane Nicholson of New Zealand in her opening light middle weight (66-70kg) bout on Saturday, and a win will pit her against Gold Coast silver medallist Rosie Eccles of Wales in the quarterfinals. The Welsh boxer, who won a silver medal in 2016 and a bronze in 2019 European Championships, got a bye in the first round.

In the lightweight (57-60kg) division, Jasmine will feature straight in the quarterfinals after getting a first round bye. But a tricky quarterfinal final awaits Jasmine as she will be up against 2018 Gold Coast bronze medallist Troy Garton of New Zealand on August 4. In the women's minimum weight (45-48kg) category, Nitu needs just a win to secure a medal as only eight boxers are featured in the draw. She will square up against Nicole Clyde of Northern Ireland in the quarterfinals on August 3. Among men, Asian Games gold medallist and 2018 CWG silver medallist Amit Panghal will kick-off his campaign against Vanuatu's Namri Berri in the flyweight (48-51kg) category on August 1. On the other hand, Mohammad Hussamuddin, who won bronze medallist in the last CWG, will play Amzolele Dyeyi of South Africa in his opening featherweight (54-5kg) bout on July 30.

Former Asian and World Championships medallist Shiva Thapa will take on Pakistan's Suleman Baloch in the first round of light welterweight (60 to 63.5kg) category on Friday, while welterweight (63.5 to 67kg) pugilist Rohit Tokas got a first round bye and will take on Alfred Kotey of Ghana in his second bout on August 2.

Sumit too got a first round bye in the middleweight (71-75kg) division and will face Callum Peters of Australia in the second round on Sunday.

In the men's light heavyweight (75 to 80kg) event, Ashish Kumar too got a bye in the opening round and will face Travis Tapatuetoa of Niue on August 1, while Sanjeet will take on Ato Leau Plodzicki-Faogali of SAM in the heavyweight first round on Saturday. Sagar will be up against Maxime Yegnong Nijeyo of CMR in the first round of the super heavyweight (over 92kg) class on Sunday.