Six-time world champion player MC Mary Kom will face Nikhat Zareen in the 51kg final of the Women's Boxing Trials for next year's Olympic qualifier. Both won their first-round matches on Friday in a unanimous decision. On Friday, former Junior World Champion Nikhat Zareen defeated Jyoti Gulia here while multiple-time Asian Champion Mary Kom defeated Ritu Grewal. The two-day competition ends on Saturday.
Zareen created a ruckus a few weeks ago by demanding a trial against six-time world champion MC Mary Kom after the Indian Boxing Federation's lukewarm attitude over the selection policy for the Olympic qualifier. Mary Kom said that she would follow the BFI policy which in the end decided to conduct trials. BFI President Ajay Singh made a stir at an honor ceremony by announcing that Mary Kom would be selected for the Olympic qualifier without any trial due to her consistent performance at the international level. Angered by this, Zareen demanded a fair opportunity.
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In other matches, world youth gold medalist Sakshi defeated Asian silver medalist Manisha Maun in 57 kg while former national champion Simranjeet Kaur defeated Pavitra in 60 kg. Both results were unanimous. The Olympic qualifiers will be held in China in February next year. All 5 classes in women's boxing - 51 kg, 57 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg and 75 kg - will be decided by trial as no boxer could make it to the finals of the World Championship.
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