After coach dies in street accident on approach to see him battle, Nikhil Dubey now desires to win National Games gold for him

After successful his quarterfinal bout on the thirty sixth National Games on Monday, Maharashtra boxer Nikhil Dubey rushed again to dial his long-time Mumbai-based coach Dhananjay Tiwari. Excited to observe him within the semifinal bout, Tiwari ready himself for a motorcycle trip from Mumbai to Gandhinagar, however destiny had one thing else written for the coach.

Tiwary succumbed to a deadly street accident by the point Nikhil received the 75kg semifinal towards Services boxer Sumit Kundu.

“He met with an accident on the way. It was his dream that somehow I win my bout today and fight for the gold medal. His name was Dhananjay Tiwary,” an emotional Nikhil stated after his bout.

“I spoke to him yesterday. I told him I have a bout with Sumit (Kundu). He told me he would be coming. He said he knew I had the ability to beat him and win the gold. He said he would come for the bout. He was coming for the bout.”

“It was a big shock for me (his death). At one point, I was thinking about how could I fight. But that’s what he wanted and he hoped for from me so I had to fight. It’s very important to win gold over here,” Nikhil stated.

After the National Games, Nikhil will head straight to Mumbai to attend the funeral of his late coach.
“He used to love driving. He had an Enfield and he routinely travelled long distances on it. He’d travelled to Goa many times in the past. He was in the third lane and suddenly a tractor crossed from the first lane to the third lane,” he stated whereas elaborating the small print of the fateful incident.

For the previous eight years, Nikhil has not solely been mentored by Dhananjay at his membership but additionally been supportive of his funds as his household’s situation wasn’t very sturdy. “He was my senior when I started. He supported me a lot not just in the ring but also in my life because my family’s condition wasn’t very strong. He has been with me for 8 years. I train in Mumbai’s West Malad alongside sir. Dhananjay boxing club. He would have been 32 years old,” Nikhil stated whereas recalling his affiliation together with his coach.

Nikhil’s first tryst with the game started in class when his trainer Nilesh Sharma handed him a pair of gloves and inspired him to hitch the SAI academy, the place his affiliation with Dhananjay began.

“When I was in school, we had a sports day, where they would introduce us to other sports. One day they put gloves on us and suggested we try boxing. Our sports teacher Nilesh Sharma told us to go to SAI if we wanted to learn more,” he stated.

“My first reminiscence of Dhananjay sir was once I was on the bottom for the primary time, He had come from coaching. He requested if I might be capable of be a boxer. I stated positive I’ll. He stated what is going to you obtain as a boxer. I stated I’ll beat anybody in entrance of me.

“He said,”Are you positive? I stated I might. Even if I’ve to. I might have been round 12 years then,” he stated recalling his first assembly together with his coach.

It isn’t the primary occasion that the 22-year-old has battled with future. He misplaced his father Premnath Dubey within the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and is now being supported by his brothers (Shaklesh Dubey, Abhishek and Deepak Dubey).

“My father died in the first wave of the Covid. At that time, everything was all over the place. My brothers work in the insurance field and they have been a big support,” he stated.

Nikhil, who underwent an ACL surgical procedure in 2020, was out of the sport for a superb couple of years. On his return to the ring, he misplaced to Sumit within the semifinals of the nationwide championships and needed to avenge the loss on Tuesday.

“I had an ACL surgery in 2019 so I was taking rest for 2 years. I only returned to the ring in 2021 where I played the senior nationals. I lost in the semifinals to Sumit Kundu. This time bhaiyya told me that you deserve the gold,” he stated.