CHENNAI: Donning jaapis, a traditional Assamese hat, Indian boxers seemed to be in good spirits ahead of their grind, in Guwahati on Sunday. Confidence is in the air among some of the big names after recent highs in Asian Championships. There are others, mostly youngsters, hoping to cash in on that environment and steal the limelight.
There are around 75-odd Indians who will be testing their mettle in India Open, which begins on Monday. Apart from the host nation’s pugilists, there are some proven stars from Uzbekistan, Thailand and Philippines, all of whom will be equally pumped for the challenge.
All eyes will be on MC Mary Kom, who will be making a return after a break. Moreover, the Manipur woman will be competing in the 51kg category; a move intended to help her be in contention for next year’s Olympics.
The six-time world champion, who has years of experience, is geared up to give her best. “I have been training well and will give my 100 per cent to make my country proud. A change is always good. I feel more confident in 51kg after last few months of rigorous training.”
The fact that she was an early bird in Guwahati, with an intention to get acclimatised, says a lot about her hunger.
Another person who enters the tournament with similar aspirations is L Sarita Devi. The seasoned pro medalled (bronze) in Asian Championships. That should act as an impetus for the 60kg boxer, who is also looking to get herself into Olympic contention.
Apart from the veterans, there’s Amit Panghal in the fray. He has been India’s standout in recent years. The Haryana boxer is not resting on his laurels and feels that he has a lot more to do. “It’s good exposure for all boxers. Performance has improved leaps and bounds. So we will hope to keep that up.”
Shiva Thapa is another pugilist who will look to keep up his recent Asian Championship performance. Before that, he had endured a quiet phase and he will be determined to kick on. “I have changed my game. Even in the last Asian Championships, I played much more freely. I am being more aggressive now. This is the style of boxing I have adopted now and our coaches too are helping me with my technique.”