CHENNAI: Eight Indian boxers will be determined to put up the fight of their lives in Hamburg at the World Championships starting on August 25. Away from the din, one boxer will be throwing punches with equal vigour, chasing a different goal. It’s been a lean period for Mandeep Jangra. A few summers ago, he would have been in the same boat with the eight.
But instead, the 2014 Commonwealth silver medallist will be in Dagestan, which translates as the land of the mountains in Russian. The 24-year-old is part of five-member Indian team for an international meet (August 23-31). “I want to give my best and start afresh. I want to go for gold and prove that I can still give a tough fight, especially after my surgery. Post injuries, many struggle to make a comeback. It’s going to a big fight,” Mandeep told Express. It’s been some time since the Haryana boxer tasted success, after going under the knife last year to fix his left hand.
While he was frequenting the medical room and waiting for the hand to heal, a lot changed around him. The national federation was finally restored, which meant fresh impetus for hopefuls looking to get into national reckoning. He found himself down the pecking order with others making a mark and senior pro Manoj Kumar climbing up the ladder in welterweight (69 kg), a category Mandeep competes in.
“It’s been the toughest phase of my career. A lot of people had lost faith in me after my injury. I’m determined to regain that faith. The nationals is also due to be held soon. So I want to be in good shape before that,” the Arjuna awardee stated. Few stuck by his side in this difficult phase. Mandeep said that veteran Akhil Kumar, who first spotted him, has continued to inspire him.
“I have always looked up to him. I was training with him and I get motivated by him. To get this opportunity is highly welcome. I sincerely hope to give my best and make a comeback. My competition is myself, whether I can do it or not.”
Never before has India had as many boxers in the Worlds. Eight have left with an entourage of coaches and officials in a bid to win medals. Having trained with them for the last few months, Mandeep picked three who could go the distance.
“All of them are equally motivated. They have trained very hard in the last six months and got highly vital exposure tours. But I feel Shiva Thapa (60kg), Amit Kumar (49kg) and Kavinder Singh (52kg) have a strong chance of winning medals,” Mandeep signed off.
anmol@newindianexpress.com