<p>New Delhi: Two-time world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen is ready to step out of fellow Indian MC Mary Kom's shadow with a medal at the Paris Olympics, coach Blas Iglesias Fernandez has said.</p><p>Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom has been the face of women boxing in India and her illustrious career inspired a Bollywood biopic in 2014.</p><p>She won the flyweight bronze at the 2012 London Olympics to cement her legacy and announced her retirement earlier this year.</p><p>Zareen will make her Olympic debut in the 50kg event in Paris and Fernandez expects the 27-year-old to return with a medal around her neck.</p><p>"This is Nikhat's time to prove herself," the Cuban said in a Sports Authority of India (SAI) media release on Tuesday.</p><p>"It's true that she had lived in the shadows of Mary Kom but now it's her chance to prove herself and make India proud."</p><p>Since 1990, Fernandez has worked with India's top boxers, including Mary Kom, and is the only foreigner to have won India's highest award for a coach.</p>.French faux pas: Olympics diver takes tumble during inauguration ceremony in Paris.<p>Currently India's high-performance coach, the 68-year-old was particularly pleased by Zareen's ring awareness.</p><p>"I love the boxing (style) of Nikhat. She is very intelligent. She has good ring tactics," he said.</p><p>India could expect a second boxing medal in the women's event if Lovlina Borgohain, who won the welterweight bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, could find her "killer instinct", Fernandez said.</p><p>"Lovlina has to show more killer instinct," he said of the boxer, who had to move from 69kg to 75kg after the Olympic categories were revised.</p><p>"I have seen some of her bouts and I think she lost them because Lovlina was not aggressive and proactive enough.</p><p>"If she can box to her potential, she can finish among the medals in Paris."</p><p>India have bagged four women's quota places for Paris.</p><p>Fernandez was hopeful the male boxers would give a good account of themselves at the world qualifiers in Bangkok where India can potentially clinch nine Paris spots.</p><p>"I reckon Nishant Dev and Amit Panghal can bag Paris quotas. They both have the potential to do this," he said.</p><p>"Men's boxing is very tough and should not be compared with women's where the competition is relatively easier."</p>
<p>New Delhi: Two-time world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen is ready to step out of fellow Indian MC Mary Kom's shadow with a medal at the Paris Olympics, coach Blas Iglesias Fernandez has said.</p><p>Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom has been the face of women boxing in India and her illustrious career inspired a Bollywood biopic in 2014.</p><p>She won the flyweight bronze at the 2012 London Olympics to cement her legacy and announced her retirement earlier this year.</p><p>Zareen will make her Olympic debut in the 50kg event in Paris and Fernandez expects the 27-year-old to return with a medal around her neck.</p><p>"This is Nikhat's time to prove herself," the Cuban said in a Sports Authority of India (SAI) media release on Tuesday.</p><p>"It's true that she had lived in the shadows of Mary Kom but now it's her chance to prove herself and make India proud."</p><p>Since 1990, Fernandez has worked with India's top boxers, including Mary Kom, and is the only foreigner to have won India's highest award for a coach.</p>.French faux pas: Olympics diver takes tumble during inauguration ceremony in Paris.<p>Currently India's high-performance coach, the 68-year-old was particularly pleased by Zareen's ring awareness.</p><p>"I love the boxing (style) of Nikhat. She is very intelligent. She has good ring tactics," he said.</p><p>India could expect a second boxing medal in the women's event if Lovlina Borgohain, who won the welterweight bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, could find her "killer instinct", Fernandez said.</p><p>"Lovlina has to show more killer instinct," he said of the boxer, who had to move from 69kg to 75kg after the Olympic categories were revised.</p><p>"I have seen some of her bouts and I think she lost them because Lovlina was not aggressive and proactive enough.</p><p>"If she can box to her potential, she can finish among the medals in Paris."</p><p>India have bagged four women's quota places for Paris.</p><p>Fernandez was hopeful the male boxers would give a good account of themselves at the world qualifiers in Bangkok where India can potentially clinch nine Paris spots.</p><p>"I reckon Nishant Dev and Amit Panghal can bag Paris quotas. They both have the potential to do this," he said.</p><p>"Men's boxing is very tough and should not be compared with women's where the competition is relatively easier."</p>