Lovlina's next fight is for Asian Games gold, but the journey matters more

The silver medal in Glasgow did not leave Lovlina Borgohain with regrets alone. It left her with questions.

What could she have done earlier? Which openings did she miss? Where did her rhythm slip? And what would it take to make sure those small moments went her way the next time?

At 28, Borgohain knows that a boxing career is rarely defined by one result. Tokyo gave her the joy of an Olympic breakthrough. Paris left her with the pain of disappointment. Glasgow brought her a first Commonwealth Games medal, but the silver after a defeat to Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree left her with unfinished business.

Each tournament has changed her in a different way. Each setback has forced her to look more closely at the boxer she is becoming.

Now, as she prepares for another Asian Games campaign in the 75kg category, Borgohain carries the experience of a career that has already taken her to Olympic, World Championships, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games podiums.

The medals have come. So have the difficult questions. The hunger, however, remains.

Her most recent lesson came in Glasgow, where Borgohain won her first Commonwealth Games medal but had to settle for silver after losing to Greentree in the final. Rather than allow the defeat to linger, she went back to the fight, studied the moments she could have handled differently and turned the loss into part of her preparation.

Now, with just eight boxers in the 75kg draw, Borgohain is one victory away from securing another Asian Games medal. She opens against South Korea’s Suyeon Seong and could meet reigning 70kg world champion Natalya Bogdanova of Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan’s world bronze medallist Aziza Zokirova in the semifinal.

But the boxer preparing for this Asian Games is not quite the same one who won Olympic bronze at 69kg in Tokyo.

The move to 75kg has forced her to adapt. The period after Paris tested her resilience. And years of competing under the spotlight have taught her how to separate the noise around a major tournament from the fight itself.

In an exclusive interaction with India Today, Borgohain opened up about the lessons from Glasgow, the difficult road back after Paris, her evolution at 75kg, the expectations of representing India and the legacy she hopes to leave behind.

SMALL MARGINS

Borgohain’s first Commonwealth Games medal came with a silver in Glasgow. The final ended in disappointment, but it also gave her plenty to carry into her preparation for the Asian Games.

“The biggest thing I take from the Commonwealth Games final is that at this level, small things can make a difference. I felt I had prepared well, but there are always areas where you can improve after a fight,” Borgohain told India Today.

“I have taken the positives from Glasgow, studied what I could have done better and now I want to work on those areas in training. The Asian Games will be another big challenge, and my focus is on being more complete and consistent in the ring.”

Looking back at the defeat to Greentree, Borgohain believes she could have been more proactive and made better use of the opportunities that came her way.

“I think I could have been more proactive in certain phases of the fight and made better use of my opportunities. Against a strong opponent, you cannot afford to let too many moments pass without making them count,” she said.

“I have watched the fight with my team and understood where I can improve, particularly in terms of creating opportunities and maintaining my rhythm. Losing a final is disappointing, but it also gives you a very clear idea of what you need to work on.”

That ability to look at a defeat without allowing it to define her has become one of the most important parts of Borgohain’s development.

FINDING HER WAY BACK

The period after the Paris Olympics tested Borgohain, with the boxer having to negotiate setbacks before finding her form again. She says the most important factor in getting through that phase was refusing to lose faith in herself.

“I think the most important thing was not losing belief in myself. Sport is never a straight line. There are good phases and difficult phases, but you have to continue working even when the results are not immediately coming your way,” she said.

“I focused on my training, listened to my coaches and tried to take things one day at a time. My motivation has always come from wanting to improve as a boxer, and that helped me come through the difficult period.”

Borgohain has now competed at two Olympics and several other major events. Compared to the boxer who walked into Tokyo 2020, she feels experience has changed the way she handles the environment surrounding a major tournament.

“The biggest change is my experience. Before Tokyo, everything was new and there was a lot that I was experiencing for the first time. Now I understand much better what comes with competing at a major event, the attention, the expectations, the environment and the pressure,” she said.

“I have learned to focus more on the fight itself rather than everything happening around it. I think that maturity has helped me.”

Representing India inevitably brings expectations, but Borgohain no longer sees them as something that needs to weigh her down.

“The expectations are part of representing India, and I see them as something positive. Of course, there is pressure, but I try not to carry all of it into the ring,” she said.

“Once the fight starts, it is just me, my opponent and the plan we have worked on. With experience, I have become better at separating the external expectations from what I need to do as an athlete.”

A NEW BOXER AT 75KG

Borgohain’s transition from 69kg to 75kg has been another important chapter in her career.

“The move to 75kg changed many things. At 69kg, there were certain advantages in terms of my physical attributes, but at 75kg I have faced opponents who can match me more closely in terms of size, strength and reach,” she said.

“So I have had to become more adaptable. My strength and endurance have had to improve, and tactically I have had to become more patient and smarter about how I use my movement, reach and combinations.”

For Borgohain, the adjustment has ultimately made her a better boxer.

“The move has made me a more complete boxer.”

Despite already having medals from all four major multi-sport events, Borgohain is not ready to view her journey as complete.

“There are still big goals left. I am proud of everything I have achieved, but I don’t think an athlete should ever feel that the journey is complete,” she said.

“Every medal has taught me something and also made me hungrier to achieve the next one. I have won medals at all these major events, but I still have things I want to accomplish, and that keeps me motivated every day.”

The move to 75kg has therefore been more than a change in category. It has demanded new physical qualities, greater patience and a more careful reading of each opponent.

HUNGER FOR GOLD

Borgohain arrives at the Asian Games with the benefit of having already reached the final in Hangzhou.

That experience, she believes, can help, but she is equally conscious that the challenge will be different this time.

“Yes, definitely. Having already competed at the Asian Games and reached the final gives me valuable experience. I know what the environment is like and what it takes to compete there,” she said.

“At the same time, every edition is different and every opponent brings a different challenge. So I will take the confidence from my previous experience, but I will also approach this edition with the same hunger and focus.”

The Indian women’s boxing team also heads into the Asian Games with confidence after several strong performances at the Commonwealth Games.

Borgohain believes that success has had a positive impact on the entire group.

“There is a very positive atmosphere in the women’s boxing team. When one boxer performs well, it gives confidence to everyone because we all train together and understand the work that goes into these performances,” she said.

“The Commonwealth Games results are definitely encouraging, but we also know that the Asian Games will bring a different level of competition. We want to carry that confidence forward while continuing to work hard and stay focused.”

For Borgohain, confidence will be useful, but it cannot replace the discipline required to perform when the contest is decided by a handful of exchanges.

BEYOND THE MEDALS

Borgohain’s association with adidas has also been an important part of her journey. For her, the relationship goes beyond the support that comes with being associated with a global sports brand.

“For me, having the support of a global sports brand has reinforced the importance of believing in the athlete beyond just the results,” she said.

“Sport is about the work that happens every day, the training, discipline, recovery and the mindset required to keep improving. Being associated with adidas has also given me the confidence that my journey and my story can inspire people beyond the boxing ring. That is something I value a lot.”

And perhaps that is what Borgohain’s journey is about at this stage. Not simply the medals already won, but the setbacks she has overcome, the adjustments she has made and the goals that still lie ahead.

She has moved up a weight category, rebuilt herself after difficult phases and learned to treat defeats as lessons rather than full stops. There are still fights she wants to win and milestones she wants to reach.

But when the gloves eventually come off for the final time, Borgohain hopes the numbers beside her name will not be the only thing that remains.

“I would like people to remember the journey more than just the medals. Medals are important, but they are only one part of an athlete’s story,” she said.

“I would want people to remember that I kept fighting, kept working and did not give up when things became difficult.”

Then comes the line that perhaps best captures what Borgohain wants her career to mean beyond boxing.

“If my journey can inspire even one young person to believe in themselves and continue pursuing their dream, that would mean a lot to me.”

– Ends