FRESH from her silver-winning campaign at the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Nagpur’s very own boxer, Alfiya Tarannum Khan Pathan is now plotting her next big move and has set her sights on World Cups and Olympics medals! In a strategic shift that could redefine her career, the former Youth World Boxing champion has decided to drop from her usual 80+kg weight category to the 75kg Olympic weight class. “I have been contesting in 80+ kg weight category for quite some time.

 

This category is not in World Cups and Olympics. Hence, I have decided to shift to lower weight category from next season. I want to win medals at World Cups and Olympics. I will start preparing for 75kg category soon,” Alfiya said, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ on Friday. “To realise my Olympic dream, I need to compete where the world’s best are. I manage weight fluctuations without any hassle, a hurdle many of my peers face,” she said. “Reducing a few kilograms won’t be a big deal,” she confidently said. Talking about her final bout against Kazakhstan’s Dina Islambekova in Mongolia, Alfiya said, “The Kazakh girl carried immense power in her punches. That was the primary difference. Training-wise, I feel the Indian methods are far more streamlined and structured compared to the Mongolian system”, noting the stark difference in environment, style and dealing with acclimatisation. Alfiya’s growth into a professional boxer has been nurtured by the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Rohtak and she describes the centre as heartbeat of Indian boxing.

 

“Nagpur and Maharashtra lack high-level sparring partners in the heavyweight category. In Rohtak, you are surrounded by national champions. It’s where the best sharpen the best,” said the champion pugilist. Unlike other boxers, Alfiya prepares for her bouts by meditating for a few minutes after warm-up. “Instead of hitting the mitts to vent out anxiety before a fight, I prefer to sit still after my warm-up. I need to be in the moment, concentrating solely on the bout, getting into that mental space and removing useless thoughts off my mind,” she stated. Alfiya, who works with Central Railway as Ticket Collector, is planning for a Master’s degree in Psychology from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Alfiya will return to Rohtak camp on April 25 to begin preparations for the World Boxing Championships in September.