Nikhat Zareen’s road to the 2026 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games came to a dramatic halt after the two-time world champion suffered a stunning defeat during the national boxing selection trials in Patiala. In one of the biggest upsets in recent Indian boxing history, Nikhat lost 4-1 by split decision to Sakshi Chaudhary in the women’s 51kg semifinals, ending her hopes of representing India at two of the year’s biggest multi-sport events.
The defeat has sent shockwaves across the Indian sporting fraternity, considering Nikhat’s stature as one of the country’s most decorated and recognised boxers in recent years. Known for her aggressive style and composure on the international stage, Nikhat entered the trials as one of the favourites but struggled to match Sakshi’s tactical sharpness and movement inside the ring.
For Sakshi Chaudhary, however, the result marked the success of a bold and calculated decision. The boxer had moved down from the 54kg category to compete in the highly competitive 51kg division specifically to challenge for a place in India’s squad for the upcoming international events. Her strategy paid off brilliantly as she outclassed the reigning world champion with disciplined boxing and smart counter-attacks.
Sakshi will now face another major challenge in the final against reigning 48kg world champion Meenakshi Hooda, who too has moved up a weight category in search of a place in the national squad. The intense competition in the division underlines the growing depth in Indian women’s boxing, where even established champions are no longer guaranteed a place in the team.
Nikhat’s defeat also raises questions regarding her recent form and consistency. Although she remains one of India’s biggest boxing stars, signs of vulnerability had emerged earlier following her bronze medal finish at the Asian Championships, where she lost to Chinese Olympic champion Wu Yu. The latest setback on home soil further indicates that the boxer may be going through a difficult transition phase ahead of a crucial Olympic cycle.
The trials also witnessed several other major surprises as prominent names like Nitu Ghanghas and Hitesh Gulia failed to secure qualification in their respective categories, highlighting the fierce level of competition currently present in Indian boxing.
This year’s trials carried additional significance because of the Boxing Federation of India’s revised selection process. Following intervention from the Sports Authority of India, the federation was forced to abandon its controversial “assessment-based” selection policy, which relied heavily on sports science metrics, attendance, and fitness data instead of direct competition. After criticism and complaints from athletes, the federation returned to the traditional trial-based system where performances inside the ring alone determined selection.
The immediate impact of that decision has been evident in Patiala, where several experienced names have made way for younger challengers eager to establish themselves on the national stage. As Indian boxing begins preparing for Glasgow 2026 and the Asian Games in Aichi, the message from the trials has become impossible to ignore, reputation and past achievements alone are no guarantee of a place in the national team anymore.
