Asian Games 2023 | How Nikhat Zareen beat Vietnam’s Tam Thi Nguyen 5-0

Nikhat Zareen's punching power, high-speed jabs, the fast-flashy hook, all comes from the movement and placement of the feet. (Photo via X/Nikhat Zareen)

Fast-paced in the ring, world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen was zipping through the mixed zone when a question dead-floored her. “Did you expect it would be as one-sided as this?”

Her body, probably still buzzing after the unanimous decision against Vietnam’s Tam Thi Nguyen, the mind still a babble of neurons, Zareen’s big eyes opened further: “The plan was to keep it one-sided. I wanted to win the first two rounds unanimously and then relax in the third. Applied my technique and won the three rounds.”

She wouldn't have thought about any of that before the bout. Both had met in the World Championship bout five months back in New Delhi, and even then, Zareen had won unanimously. Boxers do improve, physically, tactically becoming more mentally resilient – all those zones were ticked off by Zareen more than Nguyen.

If heat maps could replicate her feet movement, it would be a mass of toe marks, all marked in red, in and around the Vietnamese. Rarely, Zareen backtracked and if at all, she did, it was to suddenly, dance upfront and land a combination to the jaw and head.

Zareen has a whistling right-hand which unerringly sneaks in. Midway, through the first round, the Indian World Champion, had found the exact measurement.

Then with twinkling feet, clad in a black Adidas shoe made up of breathable nylon mesh, Zareen danced, tip-toed around the opponent. Punching power, high-speed jabs, the fast-flashy hook, all comes from the movement and placement of the feet. The first round ended with a flush-right on Tam, followed by a left.

Momentum and rhythm were with the Indian. Nguyen’s corner would have told her that points were all Zareen’s and she needed to come out fast in the second round. One expected more from the Vietnamese corner. Clad in blue, Nguyen seemed to be running out of ideas. She did drop her shoulder to try a flat punch. Zareen, however, danced away, keeping an almost impenetrable defence. A second standing count for the World Championship silver medallist virtually finished off her chances unless she could have pulled off a KO in the third round.

Second round in the bag, Zareen’s body language relaxed. Leave the hands, the fast jabs, her feet created a pattern in the ring. If heat maps could replicate her feet movement, it would be a mass of toe-marks, all marked in red, in and around the Vietnamese. Rarely, Zareen backtracked and if at all, she did, it was to suddenly, dance upfront and land a combination to the jaw and head.

The Chinese fans, all behind Nguyen, realized the Indian was just too good, and by the end of the third round, had been converted, applauding Zareen.

If Zareen has to go all the way to the gold, credit must be given to her deft footwork, which allows her to move in and out quickly, and is her best attribute. Rhythm, coordination, balance, being light on the feet are hallmarks of light flyweight boxers.

The die was cast in the third round. Nguyen came out swinging wildly, the first sign of a tired and clueless boxer. Zareen had opportunities to slam in a few punches and catch the Vietnamese on the hook, as Nguyen had kept her defence open. Zareen, kept her feet going, weaving in and out. The clock wound down. What should have been a spectacle, a close bout, ended up ‘hardly a fight’.

For boxers, the punches they don't see coming are the ones that hurt the most. For Nguyen, that was the story in the first round at the Asian Games. Unfortunate, two good boxers, World Championship finalists, had to meet so early.

Up next: Nikhat Zareen vs South Korea’s Cho Rong Bak

A fight that could be classified as a sedative, outside of the subtle skills of Zareen, for those watching, however, would now push Zareen to raise her levels when she comes back for the second bout.

“I won’t say that my opponent (Tam) wasn’t tough and so the others would be easy. They have also come after training a lot and would want to win, so I can’t take it easy. Others are also tough.”

"My focus is on qualification and then go step by step,” said Zareen.

South Korea’s Cho Rong Bak, an experienced boxer who usually comes direct, hunting for early points, is the Indian World Champion’s next challenge.

“I will sit down with the coaches and create a strategy, “said Zareen. “I have never competed against her. Will plan the bout out.”

Twice World Champion, reigning Commonwealth champion, the Indian is in the hunt for her first Asian Games title. Maybe, the second-round bout could be titled: Experience vs twinkling feet. That would be apt.

Also read: Nikhat Zareen ahead of Asian Games debut: 'I breathe boxing'