World Boxing Championship: Nitu & Saweety crowned champions

New Delhi: Indian women boxers Nitu Ghanghas and Saweety Boora wrote history after winning gold at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championship at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Saturday, reports IANS.

Nitu (48kg), a 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, defeated Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg of Mongolia with a 5-0 scoreline to clinch her first World Championships medal. The three-time Asian medallist Saweety (81kg) had a hard game but beat Wang Lina of China 4-3. The bout was reviewed against the Chinese.

It was Nitu's attacking supremacy close range, tagged with smart movement, gave her dominion over the two-time Asian bronze medallist Lutsaikhan. The 22-year-old started off the bout energetically by landing a quick flurry of punches on the Mongolian and showcased a brilliant combination of relentless attack and resolute defence to seal the win by unanimous decision.

"I am very happy after winning the gold medal. I fell short in my quest for the gold last year, so we worked on the mistakes and won it this time round in front of the home support. Having discussed this with my coaches yesterday, I decided to be aggressive since the first round today to get the scores in my favour. I have been working hard for many years, and this medal means a lot to me," said Nitu after her bout.

Competing in her second World Championships final, Saweety faced a tough challenge against the 2018 World Champion Wang Lina. However, the Indian made use of her high technical ability and strength throughout the bout to impressively overpower her opponent in the closely contested bout.

"I am thrilled after fulfilling my dream of becoming the World Champion. The bout went well, and I was able to execute our planning perfectly. My performances in the tournament got better as the bouts progressed, with my body also responding well. I want to thank the fans for their constant love and support," said Saweety after the bout.