Amit Panghal, Lovlina seek redemption at CWG

New Delhi: Amit Panghal will be eager to exorcise the ghosts of disappointing Tokyo Games while Lovlina Borgohain will seek redemption after an underwhelming World Championship outing as the country's pugilists gear up to negotiate a tricky path at the Commonwealth Games.

Reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen will also be the cynosure of all eyes as the Telangana boxer will look to extend her golden streak.

Nikhat has been on title-winning spree having emerged victorious at the Nationals, the prestigious Stradja Memorial tournament and the World Championships. But at the CWG, the 26-year-old will have a different challenge.

Nikhat, who competes in 52kg, has moved down to 50kg category. The 2019 Asian Championship bronze medallist and her coaches will assess how she adapts to the new weight class so that they can decide her event for the Paris Olympics.

The weight loss may lead to decrease in strength but Nikhat is a technically sharp boxer who has ample experience which should help her.

Lovlina has had a whirlwind year. The Assam boxer, who prefers to keep a low profile, was pushed into the spotlight ever since she won the bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

The 24-year-old self-admittedly lost focus due the endless functions and other commitments outside the boxing ring, which affected her performance.

Known to be a high-performing asset, the two time World Championship bronze medallist's campaign at the marquee event ended early this time with a disappointing loss.

The technically sound long range boxer will be eager to clinch the medal which had eluded her in Gold Coast.

Last time around during the CWG, Panghal (51kg) was in a rich vein of form that included winning a silver at Gold Coast, gold at the Asian Games, Strandja Memorial and Asian Championships and an unprecedented silver at the World Championships in 2019.

Considered a sure-shot medal contender at the Olympics, expectations where sky high. But Panghal had a disappointing Tokyo Games, where he was knocked out in the pre-quarterfinals, which was followed by months of scrutiny.

He gave the subsequent World Championship a miss and returned to competition at the Thailand Open where he won a silver medal.

The Haryana boxer, who is a nice mix of controlled aggression and tactical acumen, will be eager to redeem himself and change the colour of his medal at the big-ticket event.

Similarly, the experienced Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) will be keen to add a CWG medal in his trophy cabinet. The 28-year-old, who has five Asian Championship medals, makes an appearance at the Games after eight years, having missed the Gold Coast edition. AGENCIES