Nishant Dev, the 2022 National champion, kicked off his campaign with a stellar victory at the Strandja Memorial International Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria on Monday.
Squaring off against Wang Peicheng of China in the 71kg bout, Nishant started by showcasing his swift movement and efficiently dodging his opponent's attacks. The southpaw smartly shifted gears as the bout progressed and utilised his attacking prowess to keep Peicheng at bay.
The Haryana-born boxer was in cruise control throughout the bout, landing powerful, accurate punches to assert dominance over his Chinese counterpart and securing a 5-0 victory by unanimous decision. He will now face the 2020 Olympic Games bronze medallist Aidan Walsh of Ireland in the Round of 16 on Tuesday.