Youngster from Nagpur switched racquet for boxing gloves and has been taking impressive strides 

During her middle school days Alfiya Khan Pathan’s father often took her to a sports complex to put her through a fitness regime.  She used to play badminton before she decided to take up the boxing gloves watching her elder brother Shaqib – a national level boxer. 

Alfiya had the talent and skills required to land punches in the ring. Once she won her first medal – a silver in 80kg category at the 2016 National School Games, Alfiya fell in love with the sport. Soon she was making waves at the junior domestic circuit and was included in the India junior team. It was a proud moment for the entire family when Alfiya became the first teenage boxer from Nagpur in Maharashtra to wear an India jersey. Through sheer hard work, she has moved forward step by step. In 2019, she won the Asian Junior Championship title where she defeated Kazakhstan’s Diana Magauyayeva 4-1. From youth level she successfully graduated to the senior level and won medals at international boxing competitions. The big moment came last year when Alfiya won silver at the Asian U-22 Boxing Championships in Astana.

“When she wanted to take up boxing there was some resistance from the family members as they were against teenage girls pursuing combat sports but eventually she was allowed to wear the gloves as I backed her decision,” says Alfiya’s father Akram Khan, a police constable.

“She used to play badminton for fitness. But she soon switched to boxing.”

Alfiya had an inclination toward boxing because her elder brother was a regular at national level. “The badminton court at the sports complex where Alfiya used to go for fitness was adjacent to the boxing ring. She would often watch boxers train and one day wanted to give it a try,” the father said.

During Covid-19 pandemic Alfiya followed a six-day training schedule at home and trained with her brother that made her tough.

“Following nationwide lockdown, it was difficult to go out and practice at the sports complex. So, we put up a punching bag at home, her father said. 

“Alfiya’s elder brother Shaqib was her regular sparring partner,” the father revealed.

The fitness gained during the lockdown proved to be a blessing for the promising youngster as she won gold in (81+ kg weight class) at the 30th Adriatic Pearl Tournament in Budva, Montenegro in 2021.

Since then, she has been striving hard to improve. A medal in the Asian U22 Championship last year showed her that she is in the right direction. The impressive performance at the international level also got her a job with the Central Railways through sports quota.

Currently based out of Rohtak’s Sports Authority of India Alfiya is preparing for the upcoming senior national women’s boxing championship to cement her place in the national team for the 2025 World Boxing Championship.