Indian boxer Nishant Dev’s dream of winning a medal in Paris Olympics 2024 was shattered. Nishant Dev faced Marco Verde of Mexico in the 71 kg weight category of Men’s Boxing, where he had to face defeat 1-4. If Nishant had won the quarter-finals, it would have been certain for him to win at least the bronze medal. But he lost even after taking the lead in the first round. India has so far won three bronze medals in Paris Olympics, which have come in shooting.
Fans got angry after Nishant’s defeat!
Nishant won the initial round easily. In the first round, four out of five judges considered Nishant better and gave 10-10 marks. Nishant then looked in complete control in the second round, where he landed several big jab hooks on the Mexican, yet the judges surprisingly favored Verde in that round. In the second round only two judges gave 10-10 marks in favor of Nishant. While three judges ruled in favor of Vered.
However, Nishant Dev could not maintain the momentum in the third round. In the third round, all five judges ruled in favor of Werede. When the third round ended, Nishant Dev looked quite confident. He was completely sure that he had won the match, but the decision that came was surprising. Nishant had lost the quarterfinal match by 1-4. Even commentators were surprised by this decision.
Star boxer Vijender Singh, who had won bronze in the Olympics for India, was also surprised by the scoring system in this match. Vijender wrote on X, ‘I don’t know what the scoring system is, but I think it was a very close match. He played very well…someone brother. Reactions of fans have also emerged on social media. Fans are believing that Nishant has been defeated deliberately whereas he deserved to win.
I don’t know what’s the scoring system but I think very close fight..he play so well..koi na bhai #NishantDev
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) August 3, 2024
Proud Of You Nishant Dev👑 pic.twitter.com/SfQ0yJ8ssA
— Desidudewithsign (@Nikhilsingh21_) August 3, 2024
Left Right & Centre first time everybody is United because everybody knows that Nishant Dev has won that #Boxing match but Judges robbed the medal from him due to unfair umpiring. #cheating #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/9cpxeNdEEV pic.twitter.com/sKp31Lfr2A
— Ganesh (@me_ganesh14) August 3, 2024
THIS IS ROBBERY!! Nishant Dev was the clear winner. Boxing is so rigged, no one knows how the judges are scoring. No transparency, just unorganised & based on favouritism & luck. WWE matches make more sense than this clownery they calling boxing rn!#Boxing #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/qyra7K7qVV
— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) August 3, 2024
Overall it was a close fight and the scoring proved it. Not a single judge gave all three rounds to any boxer. The German judge, who gave the initial round to Wrede, ruled in India’s favor in the second round. Most scoring punches in amateur boxing are from close range and directed to the body.
I never understood the physics of Plus-2 and the scoring system of boxing.#NishantDev #Boxing #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/LeHFLVJano
— 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐥 𝐓🌸𝐧✓𝐣🌸🇮🇳 (@iSunilTaneja) August 4, 2024
Nishant had won it .. कती सूत दिया था मेक्सिकन .. what’s this scoring ? Robbed of the medal but won hearts .. Sad!! Many more to go छोरे !! #NishantDev #OlympicGames #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/idg6exkOq1
— Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) August 3, 2024
Mass RTs Indians
Nishant 💔How can you ignore the first two rounds dominated by Nishant Dev ? He absolutely demolished the other guy. There was no way he lost the Round 2. losers as judges#NishantDev #Paris2024 #Boxing pic.twitter.com/HIDaaL3FXI
— 𝐏🌸𝐭𝐭𝐡🌸𝐫𝐛🌸𝐣𝐣 🗿 (@Patharbaj) August 3, 2024
Some hooks or crosses of Nishant Dev hit Varde’s face. Some hit the gloves and were not scoring punches. He got Wrede where he wanted in the first round. Then in the second round Nishant’s performance was overall good. However, he could not maintain that pressure in the last round.
Who is Nishant Dev?
Nishant Dev was born on 23 December 2000 in Karnal, Haryana. Nishant started boxing in 2012, influenced by his uncle, who was a professional boxer. Then Nishant started training under coach Surender Chauhan at Karna Stadium in Karnal. Later Nishant shifted to Vijayanagar, Karnataka, where he trained at Inspire Institute of Sports (ISS).
At the age of 19, Nishant represented Karnataka in the Senior National Championship, but lost in the quarter-finals. However, the then High Performance Director of Indian Boxing, Santiago Nieva, was greatly impressed by his game. Santiago took him to the Indian camp, where he started training with an experienced boxer. Nishant left his mark at the national level. In 2021 and 2022 he won gold medal in the National Championship. Interestingly, he has never competed in the junior category at the international level.
Nishant Dev’s boxing journey has not been easy. In the year 2010, a tragic accident happened with Nishant, when his right shoulder got dislocated due to falling from the stairs. Due to this a rod was inserted in his shoulder. Nishant was 10 years old then. In the beginning of 2022, his old injury resurfaced and his bone marrow became infected. Despite the first symptoms of this injury, he continued to participate in the tournament. He underwent surgery in March 2022 and spent most of the year in rehab, which forced him to miss that year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Nishant Dev returned to the ring in January 2023 through the National Boxing Championship held in Hisar. Nishant won a bronze medal at the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championship held in Tashkent in May 2023, which was his first medal at the international level. Nishant had qualified for Paris Olympics 2024 through the second World Boxing Qualifying Tournament held in Bangkok this year. In the decisive match, Nishant defeated Madagascar’s boxer Vasile Sebotari 5-0.