IBA Men's World Boxing Championships: Nishant Dev’s father shares emotional message ahead of semi-final bout

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IBA Men's World Boxing Championships 2023: Having already created history in the World Boxing Championships 2023 in Tashkent, three Indian boxers will be aiming to top the podium in the marquee event on Friday (May 12) as they enter the ring.

After four Indian female boxers won gold medals at the world championships held at home in April, Deepak Kumar (51 kg), Mohammed Hussamuddin (57kg), and Nishant Dev (71 kg) are aiming to win the yellow metal for the country.

Eyes will be on the remarkable talent of Nishant Dev, who has had a terrific campaign in the ongoing marquee event. Having already assured a bronze medal and becoming the first Indian boxer to defeat a Cuban at Men's World Championship, Nishant will be aiming to continue the good run in the semi-final bout.

Nishant's journey in the world of boxing began in 2012, inspired by his uncle who is a professional boxer based abroad. Under the guidance of his dedicated coach, Surender Chauhan, he honed his skills at the Karan Stadium in Karnal district.

Nishant's unwavering determination and passion for the sport were evident as he tirelessly trained, with his father by his side. Much like his idol Floyd Mayweather, Nishant showcased his fearlessness and exceptional boxing skills during the 2021 World Championships, his debut international tournament.

He defeated formidable opponents such as Laszlo Kozak, a nine-time National Champion from Hungary, and two-time Olympian Merven Clair from Mauritius. Although his journey ended in the quarter-finals, Nishant left a lasting impression with his remarkable performance.

Nishant had a fair share of bout with injury at an early age, when he had dislocated his right shoulder in 2010 after falling from stairs. The old injury came back to haunt him at the beginning of 2022 as the rod that was put in his shoulder in 2010 got infected.

"The rod was an infected one, which resulted in accumulation of puss in the shoulder and the pain was back after almost a decade," Nishant told MyKhel earlier this year.

He underwent surgery in March and was in rehab for most of the year. During his rehabilitation period, he had a lot of doubts and insecurities regarding his comeback but he kept fighting and worked on his strength, power and conditioning.

Despite limited training, the southpaw came back strongly to retain his title at the National Boxing Championships in Hisar in January 2023. The 22-year-old quarter-finalist at the 2021 World Championships in Serbia was determined to do well in the upcoming tournaments.

Speaking about the rehabilitation process - which is one of the hardest times in an athlete's career - Nishant said, "Those were testing times for me, frustration used to creep in sometimes but my family kept encouraging me. I had to take baby steps once again, but thanks to the support of family and coaches I recovered well."

Nishant's father, Pawan Kumar, is now filled with pride and hope and he even shared his heartfelt wishes for his son. He said, "I wish Nishant all the best for the upcoming semi-final and final in the World Men's Boxing Championship. His dedication, perseverance, and indomitable spirit have been inspiring. I believe in his abilities, and I am confident that he will bring home the gold medal."

Speaking about his son's freak injury, he said, "The previous shoulder injury resurfaced in 2022 but he persevered to come back, Nishant underwent surgery and embarked on an extensive rehabilitation process. His determination has paid off. I would also like to thank Inspire Institute of Sport for the role they played in training him," Kumar added further.

Nishant will face reigning Asian champion Aslanbek Shymbergenov of Kazakhstan in the semi-finals. But his dominant performance in the competition will bode him well.
He notched up three wins by unanimous decisions and one by the referee stopping the contest (RSC) so far.