Nishant Dev’s Olympic Journey Ends in Heartbreak

Nishant Dev’s Olympic debut came to an unfortunate end as he faced a tough loss against Marco Verde Alvarez from Mexico in the men’s 71kg quarterfinals on Saturday at the North Paris Arena.

The 23-year-old Indian boxer, who was a bronze medallist at the world championships, started strong and was leading after the first round. Nishant’s speed and skill were giving Alvarez a hard time, as he landed numerous straight jabs effectively.

Despite Nishant’s early success, things took a turn in the later rounds. Alvarez managed to fight back and connected a powerful right hook that forced a standing count for Nishant. The Mexican boxer then followed up with a left hook just before the end of the round.

Going into the final round, both boxers were close on points, but Alvarez began aggressively, showcasing increased urgency. He landed an uppercut that kept Nishant on the defensive. Unfortunately, Nishant appeared exhausted and struggled to keep up the pace.

After the match, Alvarez acknowledged the challenges of the bout. He expressed admiration for Nishant, saying, “It was a tough bout, played with heart and mind. He is very technically sound.” With this defeat, Nishant became the fifth Indian boxer to exit the Olympic Games, leaving Lovlina Borgohain as the only Indian boxer still in contention.