Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen among top star boxers in Elite Women’s Boxing tournament

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen will be among the top Indian pugilists to vie for honours at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament, beginning here on Friday. Former world youth champion Ankushita Boro will be another big name taking part in the tournament to be held at the Saroornagar Indoor Stadium till July 1.

Organised by the Telangana state body under the aegis of the Boxing Federation of India and the Sports Authority of Telangana, the tournament will feature boxers from 15 units. Railways, Haryana, All India Police Services, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, the Combined SAI National Centre of Excellence team, and the TOPS Core and Development squad will also take part in the tournament, besides host Telangana.

Other notable names in the fray include World Championships bronze medallist Manisha Moun, Olympian Preeti, world youth champion Arundhati Chaudhary, and more than 100 other contenders. The Boxers will compete across 10 weight categories. Gold and silver medallists in each category will get the opportunity to join the elite national camp in Patiala.

“This tournament is designed to strengthen the competitive structure of Indian boxing. It provides our top athletes competitive exposure and a platform for young boxers to challenge the experienced boxers, learn from them, and advance towards high-performance training being provided at National Camps," said BFI president and chairman of the Interim Committee Ajay Singh.

This tournament is not just a pathway into the elite national camp; it's also a way to build bench strength and discover new talent. We are confident the new domestic structure will empower Indian boxing and help maintain its momentum on the global stage." All teams can field a maximum of 10 boxers provided they are born between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 2006.

The championships will be conducted as per the World Boxing Technical & Competitions Rules, wherein each bout will consist of three rounds of three minutes each, with a minute's rest in between. A 10-point scoring system shall be followed, while the review system will not be used.