In an intense showdown at the Hangzhou Gymnasium on Wednesday, Lovlina Borgohain, the rising star of Indian women’s boxing, displayed her prowess and determination, ultimately securing a silver medal in the 75kg women’s final. However, the home crowd favorite, Li Qian of China, emerged victorious with a convincing 0-5 scoreline, avenging her previous loss to Borgohain at the World Championships in March.
Lovlina’s journey to the silver medal was a testament to her dedication and skill. She made the transition to the 75kg division last year, following the removal of the 69kg category from the Paris 2024 program. Despite her defeat in the final, Lovlina can take solace in having secured her spot in the upcoming Olympics by reaching this stage of the competition. Witness the boxing world champions in action with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.
The bout began with local fans firmly supporting Li Qian, who launched an aggressive attack against Borgohain. Lovlina struggled to match the pace of the one-time World champion and Olympic silver medalist. While the match did not reach a high-octane boxing level, both fighters engaged in a fair share of holding, ducking, and dodging.
In the first round, the 33-year-old Li Qian did just enough to secure the round with a couple of well-placed rights. The second round was marked by evasive maneuvers from both pugilists, and halfway through, Lovlina incurred a point penalty, further dimming her hopes of a comeback. This round also went in favor of the Chinese boxer.
In the final round, with 30 seconds left, Lovlina attempted a left jab, which lacked the speed and power needed. Li Qian swiftly sidestepped the attempt and left no room for doubt in the outcome of the result. She sealed her victory with a flurry of clean punches in the final moments, celebrated by her fans and the referee alike.
Following the final, the 26-year-old Lovlina expressed her mixed emotions, saying, “I’m happy that I got this medal, and I feel a little bit disappointed because I thought I would get a gold medal. But I will try next time, and I will give 100 per cent, and I will definitely get a gold medal.”
In another notable bout, Parveen Hooda secured an Olympic quota in the women’s 57kg category but faced a tough challenge in the semifinals against Chinese Taipei’s Yu Ting Lin, resulting in a 5-0 loss. Nevertheless, Hooda’s performance earned her a well-deserved bronze medal. Get the latest updates from the world of boxing only on Nextbet Sports.
