World boxing gold a stepping stone, says Minakshi
With her 4-1 win over Nazym Kzaibay of Kazakhstan in the final at Liverpool, Minakshi ensured India’s dominance in the lightest weight class continues
New Delhi: It’s been only a few hours since she landed to a rousing welcome in her native Rurki village in Haryana’s Rohtak district, but Minakshi Hooda is already looking beyond the most significant success of her career. The tag of 48kg world boxing champion sits light on her as the 24-year-old insists she is not scared to dream.
“Of course, world champion sounds nice, but I believe I am capable of bigger success. I don’t want to be satisfied just yet,” she said.
“I never really idolised a boxer, except Vijender Singh. I always dreamt of people looking up to me. I hope, with this medal, I have managed that."
Minakshi has managed a little more. With her commanding 4-1 win over Nazym Kzaibay of Kazakhstan in the final at Liverpool, she ensured Indian women’s dominance in the lightest weight class continues. Nitu Ghanghas won the 48kg title in 2023 after six-time world champion Mary Kom dominated the division for years.
“This is only a start, a stepping stone. I believe I have the ability to win much more now that I have got a taste of how it’s done,” Minakshi asserted.
If her clinical performance at the Worlds is any indication, she can aim higher. Having already lost to Kzaibay at the World Boxing Cup in Astana in July – a bout the Indian camp felt should have gone Minakshi’s way – the Indian was waiting for a chance to get even.
“That 2-3 loss in Astana was close. She got the home advantage there, but I decided not to sit over it. I analysed her game carefully and began working.” Kzaibay, a three-time world champion, is an experienced counterpuncher, and Minakshi, who rates her own counterpunching as a key strength, knew she had work to do.
“I am usually a long range boxer, but for her, I had to work on my close boxing and feints. I wanted to wait for her to throw a punch before responding. Winning the final that way was very satisfying.”
The 48kg being a non-Olympic division, Minakshi will have to step up to 51kg if she wants to compete in the 2028 LA Games. “Commonwealth weights haven’t been announced yet,” she said. “I do hope 48kg is there like last time. If not, I’ll have to move up a weight class because winning an Olympic medal is the ultimate goal.”
Minakshi took to boxing in 2013 after a visit to her village’s Shaheed Batoon Singh Stadium. As rows of girls streamed in and out of coach Vijay Hooda’s boxing academy, the 12-year-old was hooked to the sport.
“I can’t put a finger on what drew me to the sport, but I just liked being in the ring and throwing punches.” Hooda’s academy is a skeletal set-up that has produced a bunch of internationals, chief among them Jyoti Gulia, the 2017 World Youth Champion, and Asian Championships medallists Shiksha Narwal and Monika.
“By 2016, the girls from the academy started to win international medals and land government jobs. That was a big motivation.”
In rural Haryana though, letting Minakshi chase her dreams was proving to be tough for her family.
“The villagers kept telling my family that boxing is a dangerous sport and is not for girls. My parents were skeptical too, but came around after I started winning,” said the youngest of four siblings.
Their father Srikrishan Hooda, being an auto driver, had no means to support his daughter’s boxing career. Coach Hooda stepped up to support her “like one of his own.” In 2021, Minakshi joined ITBP as a constable, and a year later entered the national camp.
“I always wanted to make my father proud. He has sacrificed a lot for me. Knowing that he is happy is the biggest medal I can ever win.”
