World Olympic Boxing Qualifier: Indian boxer Nishant Dev advances to pre-quarterfinals after crushing Madiev Eskerkhan

World Championships bronze-medallist Nishant Dev defeated Georgia's Madiev Eskerkhan to advance to the men's 71kg category pre-quarterfinals at the first World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on March 8.

The Indian secured a unanimous 5-0 victory on the night of March 7.

Tokyo Olympics quarterfinalist Eskerkhan appeared lost against the onslaught from the Indian boxer. Despite his efforts to bounce back in the second round, Nishant prevented any opportunity for a comeback.

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Nishant to play last 16 bout 

Nishant is scheduled to compete in the Round of 16 bout on March 10.

Ankushita Boro and Sanjeet suffer defeats

On the other hand, youth world champion Ankushita Boro (66kg) and national champion Sanjeet (92kg) suffered defeats in their opening-round matches.

Ankushita put up a fierce fight but fell short, losing 2-3 against Sonvico Emilie of France, while Sanjeet faced a tough defeat, losing 0-5 to Aibek Oralbay of Kazakhstan. This adds to the disappointing performance of Indian boxers in the tournament.

The event, which features over 590 boxers, offers a total of 49 quotas for the 2024 Paris Olympics, including 28 for men and 21 for women.

India have already secured four quotas for Paris through Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) at the Asian Games.

The second World Qualification Tournament is scheduled to take place in Bangkok from May 23 to June 3.

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Dev seals first win for India

Meanwhile, Nishant Dev made a strong start to his campaign with a thrilling 3-1 win against British boxer Lewis Richardson at the inaugural Olympic Boxing Qualifier. However, experienced pugilist Shiva Thapa suffered a defeat on March 6.

Competing in the men's 71kg category, Nishant quickly found his rhythm against Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Richardson, adopting an aggressive stance right from the start. He took the first round with a score of 4-1.

In the second round, the 23-year-old Indian displayed even more dominance, using his long reach to land effective right hooks and secure a 5-0 victory.

He maintained control in the third round, successfully fending off multiple attacks from his opponent while preserving his lead. Ultimately, he sealed the bout with a split decision.

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