VISAKHAPATNAM: Finally, the state and national-level boxers in the city who are sweating out in practice sessions in the Port Stadium to bag medals will get a permanent indoor boxing ring soon.
The Port City has been producing boxers of national repute since 1997, who participated in national and international events, but till date the Port Stadium only had the facility of outdoor boxing ring. The boxers have been provided an indoor boxing ring at Swarna Bharathi stadium by the municipal corporation a month ago, where the boxers who are preparing for various tournaments go for practice daily.
“At present, the boxers are going to the Swarna Bharathi Stadium in the evening from 5 to 7 and in the morning hours they practise at the Port Stadium. The proposal has been put forward long ago. I have started the first batch in 1997 which was under the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) till 2003. Afterwards, things were taken care of by Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the talk for the indoor stadium has been there since then,” said I Venkateswara Rao, the SAI boxing coach.
“Whenever there are any camps, a temporary boxing ring is provided. Now, a permanent ring is being constructed for practice. Practising outdoor is very difficult for the boxers as they can even meet with health issues. Besides, there are always chances of all the equipment getting damaged when placed outdoors,” he added.
The construction of the indoor boxing rings has started and will be completed in March. The infrastructure is being developed by Visakhapatnam Port authorities and the SAI will sponsor the equipment needed for the boxing ring.
“The proposal has been there for long but the present Port Trust chairman MT Krishna Babu has taken the initiative and sanctioned it. As of now, we are given instruction to provide the infrastructure as per the SAI needs. This is being done with `30 lakh budget,” said D Srinivas Rao, the VPT executive engineer.
“The port trust is providing us the infrastructure and the equipment will be provided by the SAI which will cost Rs 15-20 lakh. It has been made compulsory for all the boxing tournaments to be conducted indoors and this will help the boxers to prepare well. Besides, once the ring is ready we can even conduct national camps which could not be conducted earlier for lack of an indoor facility and the local boxers will also get exposure. Now, Visakhapatnam will be given preference as the city is favourable for hill training, sand training and others,” the coach said.