It’s rare to see a talent make as much impact in their debut international tournament as Alfiya Pathan. A special talent that announced her presence to the global boxing scene by winning a gold at the AIBA World Youth Championship, Pathan has shown her relentlessness, technique and aggression against more experienced opponents and has shown time and again her ability to come out on top.

In an exclusive interview with SPOGO, Alfiya Pathan, the world 81+ kg champion speaks about her introduction to boxing, representing India globally, defeating Kazorez Daria, her coaches, inspirations and future goals.

Q 1) When were you first introduced to boxing and what motivated you to pursue the sport despite your family’s reluctance?

I started boxing in 2016, before that I used to play badminton for 2-3 years at Mankapur Stadium during the summer vacations. I used to play badminton to maintain my fitness while my brother joined boxing and when I used to see him fight, I noticed that there were other girls participating in boxing as well. This motivated me to pursue the sport and I did my utmost to convince my family at home to let me participate in boxing and they eventually agreed. I was also really inspired by the Mary Kom movie that had just released when I started boxing and that motivated me even further.

Q 2) How was the experience of representing India at the AIBA Youth World Championships?

I had a really good experience at the AIBA Youth World Championships. The Indian team got 7 gold medals and I felt a great deal of pride and happiness at our accomplishments. AIBA did a fantastic job in organizing the tournament, especially because of the COVID-19 situation. The World Championships were held with all the precautions, we were not in close contact with anybody and the social distancing norms were followed.

Q 3) How proud are you of winning a gold medal in your debut Youth World Championship? How challenging was your opponent Kazorez Daria?

I felt very proud and happy for winning one of the 7 gold medals at the Youth World Championship. It was my first Youth Championship so winning the gold medal has been a very good feeling. My opponent, Moldova’s Kazorez Daria in the finals, is someone who I also faced in Montenegro so I didn’t feel the pressure because the clash had been one-sided before and I was confident I would beat her this time as well. I ended up defeating her 5-0.

Q 4) How much of an influence has your coach Purohit played in your journey so far?

My coach, Mr. Ganesh Purohit has been hugely influential for me. He taught me the basics of boxing and has been a part of both wins and losses in my journey so far. When I was at the camp for 6 months before the Youth World Championship, I would share videos with him to get his feedback and he would give his valuable insights. He has been very influential and a source of motivation for me to achieve more.

Q 5) How was it to work under Junior’s boxing coach Amanpreet Kaur? What did you learn from him?

I was with Amanpreet ma'am during my juniors and she perfected my basics. She taught me all the technicalities that one is not able to learn at lower or grassroot levels but at Junior level camps. I learnt a lot from her, especially the most important value of discipline. I believe a sportsperson is nothing without discipline. I was very happy to learn from her at my juniors.

Q 6) Who are the boxers that inspire you to push your boundaries? What are the skill sets required to be a champion?

I started boxing after seeing my brother. He inspires me everywhere, pushes and encourages me a lot and is my biggest supporter. I believe hard work, dedication and giving your hundred percent everywhere is what goes into being a champion.

Q 7) What are your goals for the future? What is your message to girls who aspire to become boxers?

My future goal is to represent India at the Olympics and win a medal. My message to all the girls playing or wanting to play this sport is to be consistent and never give up. When you learn something new, you can't master it on the first day, but keep practising and improving yourself everyday without giving up on it. It's important to tell yourself that you can do it and keep motivating yourself.