Muhammad Ali's Story Inspired Lovlina Borgohain's Love For Boxing

Muhammad Ali's story is what inspired Lovlina Borgohain to take up boxing

Tokyo Olympics: Indian Boxer Lovlina Borgohain was inspired by Muhammad Ali.

(File photo: BFI)

22-year-old Indian Boxer Lovlina Borgohain was inspired to take up boxing after reading a story of Muhammad Ali.

One day her father brought home some sweets wrapped in a newspaper and on that paper was a photo and story on Muhammad Ali. Lovlina asked her father to read the story to her and that's how she discovered boxing.

Her mother wished for her three daughters to become kickboxers. While Lovlina and her sisters originally picked up Muay Thai, she took up kickboxing, later switching to boxing. Her sisters persisted with Muay Thai.

Lovlina Borgohain's story has been one of struggle. In the beginning, her family wasn't very well off and couldn't manage so well. "We couldn't even afford a tracksuit," her father said.

When she was in class 9, a coach from the Sports Authority of India discovered her talents and thereafter, she never looked back.

Lovlina is now the first Assamese woman to qualify for the Olympics and while she has won many medals in her career, her sights are now set on that coveted Olympic gold.

"At Nationals, even if you win a gold medal, people could forget it. But an Olympic medal is such that if you win one, no one will forget it ever. So that's my target, to win a medal at the Olympics," Borgohain speaking to SAI