CHENNAI: PRO boxing in India is likely to trend in the next few days when two Indian women make their bow in IBC Fight Night in Imphal. L Sarita Devi and Pinki Jangra will be eager to make an impression on Sunday.
Seasoned pugilist Sarita has had a long and eventful amateur career. Given that the bout is being held in her hometown should spur her. Indian Boxing Council president, PK Muralidharan Raja, is expecting a memorable outing. “We are expecting a big crowd. Sarita is having a bout in front of fans after a long gap,” he told Express from Imphal.
“With Pinki and Som Bahadur Pun also in action, the fight night is bound to be exciting. The foreigners are also looking forward to the night. We are looking forward to it,” he added.
Boxing legend Mohammad Ali was once an amateur before taking the professional ring, leaving an indelible legacy. Indians opting for more-rigorous professional boxing might be a recent thing but this transition is common in the rest of the world.
In recent times, Irish veteran Katie Taylor and double-Olympic champ Nicola Adams have opted for the more demanding test. Raja is hopeful that the likes of Sarita and Pinki will cross paths with them.
“Katie has turned pro and she fights in Sarita’s weight category, so in future we hope to see a match-up between the two. Similarly, Nicola is in Pinki’s category and one can possibly see a clash between the two,” he said.
“So, this bout is going to be highly important for the debutants. If they can kick-start their careers with a win, it will be morale boosting for all.”
Sarita will face World No 29 Zsofia Bedo of Hungary, who is a veteran of 59 professional bouts while Pinki is up against Claudia Ferenczi of Slovakia. Former Commonwealth Championship gold medallist Poon will also be making his debut on Sunday.
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