Nikhat Zareen (PTI photo)
New Delhi: A big shake-up for Indian boxing, the two-time world champions Nakht Zareen Missed out on selection for both the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2026 Asian Games after a shock defeat at the national trials in Patiala.Nakhat, competing in the women’s 51 kg category, suffered a 1-4 defeat Sakshi Chaudhary in the semi-finals, ending his hopes of representing India in two of the biggest multi-sport events of the year. The result marks one of the biggest upsets in recent Indian boxing, given Nakhit’s stature as a double world champion.
Sakshi surprises Nikhat by changing the weight class.
Sakshi’s win took on added significance as she moved down from 54kg to 51kg, specifically targeting the Commonwealth and Asian Games qualifiers. The gamble paid off as she outboxed Nikhat in the semi-finals and now moves into the final against 48kg world champion Meenakshi Hooda, who has also moved up a weight division.Nakht had shown signs of inconsistency in recent months. She managed to win only one bronze medal at the Asian Championships where she was defeated by Chinese Olympic champion Wu Yu in the semi-finals.The trials also produced other surprising results, with Neetu Ghanghas and Hitesh Galia also failing to make the cut after defeats in their respective categories.
The selection system changed after the intervention of SAI.
The trials resumed this week after the Sports Authority of India ordered the Boxing Federation of India to end the selection process based on its controversial assessment.The federation had previously used a scoring model that took into account sports science tests, weight management and attendance, but complaints from several boxers forced the SAI to suspend the process. The BFI then switched to a trial-based system judged by a five-member panel, with the results announced immediately after the competition.The decision has already restructured India’s boxing squad. While established names such as Nikhat have missed out, young contenders have seized the moment, paving the way for Glasgow and Aichi.
