Key Points

Meanwhile, in the 51kg division, home favourite and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen delighted the Hyderabad crowd with a dominant 5:0 victory over Kalpana.

Organised by the Telangana Boxing Federation under the aegis of the Boxing Federation of India and the Sports Authority of Telangana, the tournament brings together top-tier names and emerging prospects from across the country.

With 15 participating units--including 12 best from the recent Elite Nationals, host Telangana, the SAI NCOE Combined team, and the TOPS Talent & Development squad--the competition is part of BFI's ongoing initiative to refine the national pool and scout future stars.

Other notable quarterfinal results saw Preeti (54kg), Jyoti (51kg), and Devika Ghorpade (51kg) book their semi-final berths with clean, unanimous wins. Tamil Nadu's V. Lakshaya (51kg) impressed with a 5:0 win over Laxmi Devi, while Tanu (54kg), Shashi (65kg), and Yashi Sharma (65kg) also moved ahead after solid outings. Ankushita's TOPS teammate Gitimoni Gogoi advanced in 70kg via RSC, and Babirojsana Chanu (57kg) registered a stoppage win in the second round.

The tournament, serving as a gateway to the elite national camp in Patiala, continues at the Saroornagar Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, with semi-finals scheduled for Monday.

Earlier in the tournament, Zareen opened her campaign with a clinical 4:1 win over Uttar Pradesh's Rashi Sharma in the 48-51kg category, while Haryana's Anjali got the better of World Championships bronze medallist Manisha Moun in the 57-60kg category.

Other notable Day 1 results included a win for 2023 world champion Nitu (Haryana) in 45-48kg over Rajani Singh (UP) 5:0, while Telangana's Yashi Sharma defeated K Monisha (Tamil Nadu) 5:0 in the 60-65kg category.

- ANI