Difficult for me if I recall Olympic setback: Boxer Nishant

CHENNAI: Boxing, in general, is a harsh sport. Cuts and bruises are widespread, and the participants, over time, learn to deal with them. It can become even harsher sometimes, as Nishant Dev, a proficient master of the craft, found out during the Paris Olympics. A controversial decision crushed his dreams into pieces, and he’s yet to recover from that harsh outcome.

Nishant, who was representing the country in the men’s 71kg category, was following the script to perfection and was just a step away from achieving his career-long dream – an Olympic medal. In the do-or-die quarterfinal bout against Marco Verde of Mexico, Nishant had to operate with the same vigour that he had shown during the previous bouts to make history.

Like in his earlier fights, the 23-year-old started with conviction, giving himself an early advantage. After a close second round and a tough finishing round, Nishant was quite certain that he had done enough. A positive outcome on the day would have been life-changing. However, what followed was doom and gloom. That decision once again brought the sport’s refereeing and judging under scrutiny.