Nikhat Zareen added another feather to her cap by clinching gold in the 51 kg category at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 on Thursday. The Indian defeated Xuan Yi Guo of Chinese Taipei by a unanimous 5-0 verdict in the final to lead India's gold rush at the event.
This win comes after a challenging period in her career, including the disappointment at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The poster girl of Indian boxing, however, seemed to return to form with her third world title.
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Nikhat Zareen leads Indian charge
Zareen faced Chinese Taipei's Guo Yi Xuan in the final and adapted her strategy, focusing on control rather than counter-punching. Her tactical approach paid off as she secured the gold medal, marking her first international top podium finish since the Asian Games.
"I am really happy to win the final match. Definitely, this gold is a confidence booster.. Hopefully, I will compete in many more events and win more medals for India," Zareen said after the match.
The boxer credited her preparation, including sparring with competitors from different weight categories, for keeping her sharp despite limited lead-up time.
Zareen became the fifth Indian women's boxer to clinch gold on the day. On the last day of the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025, Minakshi gave the home contingent a winning start as she captured gold in women's 48kg category.
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Full list of Indian medal winners at World Boxing Cup Finals 2025
Gold:
- Minakshi Hooda (women's 48 kg)
- Nikhat Zareen (women's 51 kg)
- Preeti Pawar (women's 54 kg)
- Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg)
- Parveen Hooda (women's 60 kg)
- Arundhati Choudhary (women's 70 kg)
- Nupur Sheoran (women's 80+ kg)
- Sachin Siwach (men's 60 kg)
- Hitesh Gulia (men's 70 kg)
Silver:
- Jadumani Singh (men's 50 kg)
- Pawan Bartwal (men's 55 kg)
- Abhinash Jamwal (men's 65 kg)
- Ankush Phangal (men's 80 kg)
- Narender Berwal (men's 90+kg)
- Pooja Rani (women's 80kg)
Bronze:
- Jugnoo (men's 85 kg)
- Neeraj Phogat (women's 65 kg)
- Saweety Boora (women's 75 kg)