Tomoya tsuboi

International Olympic Committee Executive Board: As the first World Qualification Tournament kicks off in Busto Arsizio, Italy on Sunday, nine Indian boxers, including seasoned veterans Shiva Thapa, Deepak Bhoria, and Nishant Dev, are gearing up to battle for coveted spots at the Paris Olympics.

With seven men and two women from India aiming to secure Olympic berths, the stakes are high at the qualifiers conducted by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU), an ad-hoc body created by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board offering 49 quota places. A boxer reaching the semifinals will clinch a ticket to Paris.

In the women's 60kg category, a box-off between the losing semifinalists will determine the Olympic berths due to only three spots being available.