IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2023: Nitu Ghanghas avenges last year's defeat to enter finals

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New Delhi, March 23: Young India boxer Nitu Ghanghas continued her stellar show in the ongoing IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2023 here at KD Jadhav Indoor Hall and stormed into the final on Thursday (March 23).

Nitu - who registered three consecutive wins via Referee Stops Contest (RSC) en route to her semi-final bout - defeated reigning Asian champion Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan in the 48 kg category.

It was a hard-earned 5-2 win on points for the 22-year-old as she was announced the winner after the bout was reviewed. Nitu - who lost to the same opponent in the quarter-finals of the previous edition in Istanbul - avenged her defeat to prove that her game has improved a lot in the last one year.

It was an even-steven contest in all three rounds as the Kazakh kept things tight for the Indian but the Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Nitu, kept her cool to finally prevail over her opponent. The southpaw smartly landed accurate punches and showcased immense grit to reach the finals of the competition for the very first time.

"I lost to the same opponent in the quarter-finals last year by a split decision. I was determined to avenge my defeat and qualify for the finals this time around. Last time I was playing much away from her and that was a big error on my part last year. So I had planned to not give too much room to her this time around for that is her strength. I was playing at a close range this time around," said Nitu at the post-match press conference.

"My natural game is playing long range and playing on counter-attacks but I had to change my strategy in this bout. As she was playing from a distance, I had to attack and force her to counter-attack and tire herself up and it worked," the Bhivani-based boxer said.

When asked what was her strategy as it was one of the most physical games she was involved with, the two-time youth world boxing champion said, "Right it was a physical bout but I planned on playing with patience and applied my brain. A slight error and the match could have slipped away, so I tried to stay as relaxed as I can and it worked."

Nitu will now take on the 2022 Asian Championships bronze medallist Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg of Mongolia in the final on Saturday (March 25).