Birmingham

Recently-crowned world champion Nikhat Zareen will launch her maiden campaign in the Commonwealth Games boxing event when she takes on Helena Ismael Bagao of Mozambique in the women's 48-50kg light flyweight category on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Nikhat has got an easy draw into the quarterfinals as she will face another lower-ranked boxer in Helen Jones of Wales if she manages to get past the Mozambique pugilist.

Nikhat is in superb form as she had punched her way to the World Championships title in May this year, winning the gold medal in the 52kg category in Istanbul by beating Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas in the final.

With this win, she became only the fifth Indian woman boxer to win a gold medal in the World Championships, joining MC Mary Kom, Laishram Sarita Devi, Jenny RL, and Lekha KC.

She also became only the second Indian boxer to win a World Championships gold medal outside India after Mary Kom.

Having come out of Mary Kom's shadow by winning the gold medal in Istanbul, Nikhat has another chance now to further establish her supremacy as the former had to pull out of the trials because of an injury.

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Winning the gold medal in Birmingham 2022 will certainly boost her morale ahead of the tougher challenges at next year's Asian Games and the subsequent Olympics in Paris.