Nishant Dev Cruises into Quarters at World Olympic Boxing Qualifier, One Win Away from Paris 2024 Berth

Busto Arsizio, Italy (March 11): Indian boxer Nishant Dev continued his impressive form at the first World Olympic Boxing Qualifier, defeating Christos Karatis of Greece 5-0 to secure a spot in the men's 71kg quarterfinals. This win puts him just one victory away from booking his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Dev, a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships, started cautiously but quickly found his rhythm, dominating the fight with effective counter-attacks. He picked up the pace in the closing seconds of the first round to comfortably take it.

The 23-year-old Indian carried his momentum into the second round, showcasing lethal combinations that left Karatis clueless. The Greek boxer even received a standing count after a powerful left hook from Dev. Nishant maintained his dominance throughout, securing a convincing one-sided victory.

Nishant now faces a tough challenge in the quarterfinals against 2021 World Championships silver medalist Omari Jones of the USA tonight. With a win, Dev will not only secure a place in the semifinals but also book his qualification for the Paris Olympics. India has already secured four Olympic quotas for boxing in the women's categories, with Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) all confirmed for Paris 2024.