LIVERPOOL: Star boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain endured contrasting outings on their international return, as the two-time world champion advanced while the Tokyo Olympics medallist made an early exit from the World Boxing Championships here on Saturday.
Unseeded Nikhat, who had been sidelined by injury since her second-round exit in Paris last August, looked sharp in her comeback fight in the women's 51kg division. She eased past the USA's Jennifer Lozano with a commanding 5-0 unanimous decision in the round of 32.
In stark contrast, Lovlina, seeded No 1 in the women's 75kg category, fell flat in her opening contest, losing 0-5 against Turkey's Busra Isildar in the round of 16.
There was disappointment on the men's side as well with debutant Hitesh Gulia, a two-time World Cup medallist, crashed out in the 70kg category. Seeded third Gulia suffered a narrow 1-4 defeat after a late lapse proved costly against Netherlands' Bos Finn Robert.
Showcasing her trademark tactical discipline, 29-year-old Nikhat started cautiously, struggling to connect in the opening exchanges.
But a crisp combination midway through the first round settled her nerves. From there she grew in confidence, using her movement to control distance and picking her punches with precision to leave little doubt on the judges' scorecards.
Lovlina's bout, on the other hand, descended into a messy affair dominated by clinches, with neither boxer able to establish rhythm. While the Turkish southpaw managed to land occasional scoring blows, Lovlina struggled to find accuracy and was defeated 0-5.
Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal began his campaign with a hard-fought win, defeating Ireland's Martin Christopher McDonagh in the men's +90kg opening bout on Friday night.