Nikhat rues busy itinerary ahead of Boxing Cup Final

Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen on Tuesday raised concerns over the busy boxing schedule while calling for the need to be selective with international competitions.

- Shantanu Srivastava

Speaking on the sidelines of the logo launch and team announcement for World Boxing Cup Final, set to be held in Greater Noida’s Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex from November 14-21, the 5lkg pugilist admitted she was not in her best shape, thanks to the unrelenting calendar.

“There are so many back-to-back competitions. One boxer cannot take part in every competition. There should be a policy where second-ranked boxers should be sent to some events. As of now, we have a competition almost every month.

“We also have assessment in the camp, due to which we are unable to prepare for competitions. The focus instead is to hold on to our places in the national team. It’s been very hectic for me since the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad (June-July). You can’t expect me to be at my peak every month. I need time to recover,” the 29-year-old said.