Former Indian coach Fernandes praised Nikhat Zareen, said- can win medal in Paris Olympics. Loktej Sports News

New Delhi, April 9 (HS). Former Indian men’s boxing coach Blas Iglesias Fernandes has expressed hope that Indian female boxer Nikhat Zareen will return home with a medal in the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Fernandez, the 68-year-old former Cuban who changed the face of Indian boxing after coming to India for the first time in 1990, feels Lovlina Borgohan can also win but only if she shows killer instinct.

Fernandes, the only foreign coach to win the Dronacharya Award, has returned to India after being appointed as a high performance coach by the Sports Authority of India for a period of two years. Fernandes is posted at the National Boxing Academy in Rohtak, Haryana.

On the sidelines of the multi-nation camp for junior boxers held at the National Center of Excellence in Rohtak recently, Fernandes assessed India’s prospects in the upcoming Summer Games.

Fernandes, who has sparred with legendary boxers like Dingko Singh, Vijender Singh, Sarita Devi and Mary Kom at various times during his stint with India, told SAI Media that India can win at least two medals in Paris, One of which Zareen can achieve (50 kg).

He said, “I like Nikhat’s boxing style. She is very intelligent. He has good ring strategy. She knows when she is winning and when she is losing. It’s time for Nikhat to prove herself. It is true that she lived under the tutelage of Mary Kom, but now this is her chance to prove herself and make India proud.

After Tokyo, 26 year old Lovlina is struggling with her form. Moving from 69kg to 75kg category was never an easy task. Lovlina failed to win a medal at the 2022 World Championships and Commonwealth Games. But Assam’s Lovlina secured a ticket to Paris by winning gold in the 2023 World Championships and silver in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Fernandez said, “Lovlina will have to show more aggressive tendencies. I have seen some of her fights and I think she lost them because she was not aggressive and active enough. If she can box as per her potential, she can win a medal in Paris.”

Nikhat (50kg) and Lovlina (75kg) are among the four Indian women boxers who have qualified for the Paris Olympics. The other two boxers are Preeti Pawar (54 kg) and Parveen Hooda (57 kg). Lovlina had won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

Fernandes is hopeful that India’s men will also qualify for the Paris Games. A lot will depend on how they perform in the second and final World Qualifiers in Bangkok from May 23 to June 3. There will be 51 Paris quotas up for grabs in this tournament and Indian boxers can potentially grab nine more quotas.

Fernandes said, “I think Nishant Dev and Amit Panghal can achieve the Paris quota. They both have the ability to do that. Men’s boxing is very difficult and should not be compared to women’s boxing, where the competition is relatively easier. I would love to see Indian men break the Olympic illusion.