“This tournament is not just a pathway into the elite national camp, it is also a way to build bench strength and discover new talent. We are confident that the new domestic structure will empower Indian boxing and help maintain its momentum on the global stage,” Ajay Singh, BFI president and chairman of Interim Committee, was quoted as saying in the official announcement of the tournament.

Nikhat, meanwhile, will be taking part in the 51kg category instead of 50 as the former is one of the updated weight categories in the Olympic programme.

Lovlina is also expected to change her weight category due to a similar reason. Having made 75kg her own in recent years, she’ll be forced to opt for either 70kg or +80kg. She might opt for the former as she was formerly a welterweight (69kg).

The tournament is expected to feature boxers from 15 units, including the top teams from the 8th Elite Women’s Nationals — Railways, Haryana, All India Police, Services, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu — alongside host Telangana, the Combined SAI National Centre of Excellence team, and the TOPS Core & Development squad.