“It was a very close fight in the quarterfinals. I gave it all but just missed out. However, I’m happy with my overall experience,” Nishant, who’s presently with his family at home, noted.

Nishant’s brave effort does not come as a surprise. He’s one of the few young faces to have emerged in recent years and had entered the Italy meet with a fair chance of challenging for the Olympic quota. In the last Asian Games, also an Olympic qualifying event, he had missed out at the same stage. Prior to that, he had captured a bronze at the World Championships.

What has made him a formidable fighter is his attitude towards the sport. Given his inexperience at the elite level, he’s mindful of the fact that he has plenty to learn. One can imagine the pain the boxers and the coaching staff must have felt as India suffered a slow death during the latest qualifier, losing one boxer after another.

“It was tough to see my fellow boxers lose. But I don’t get drawn into negativity easily. I just kept my focus and concentrated on myself,” he said.
India boxing’s High Performance Director Bernard Dunne and the other coaches have been one of the key talking points in the last couple of days or so. Dunne and the rest of the coaches’ futures remain uncertain as the BFI look to find solutions. “I have not had any issues. I have had support from the word go. I have also learnt quite a bit from them. In fact, we (boxers in the camp) don’t discuss such matters,” Nishant said, when asked about his experience under the coaches.