NEW DELHI: Boxing in India is in a transitional stage. With senior boxers like Shiva Thapa, Vikas Krishan, MC Mary Kom and Sarita Devi bagging medals at top events for many years, the expectations are always growing. But not everyone can be a Roger Federer and keep winning beyond a certain age. The India Open boxing tournament witnessed some of best pugilists in action.
While some of the seniors had it easy, there were few upsets. What caught the eye of many was the way in which some of the youngsters fought against international boxers from countries like Uzbekistan and Cuba, who are powerhouses in the sport. With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games later this year, these performances will be a good headache to have according to Santiago Nieva, high performance director of boxing in India.
“This shows the depth of Indian boxing. Some of the youngsters have managed to beat our top boxers and international stars. This competition has been of great help. The exposure that some of them are getting will be of great help in the future when we take them abroad. The results here will play a huge role in selecting the team for CWG and Asian Games.
Right now, it is very difficult for me to select a team as people who have not won before have done well here. So it remains very open,” he told Express. “I’m not saying that these boxers might make the team. But the performance of Manish Kaushik was impressive. Sanjeet winning gold in a very tough bout was excellent too. I’m also pleased with Satish Kumar in the super heavy weight category. Dinesh is another boxer to look out for,” he added. Most of the youngsters in action on Thursday were taking part in a tournament of this stature for the first time.
But, the way they expressed themselves inside the ring made it seem like they have been around for long. While they were media-shy after their bouts, their attitude during the bouts manifested confidence. “The seniors are exceptional. But that doesn’t put us under pressure. We are young and have that fire inside to give our best. If anything, it’s only a motivation,” said Dinesh, who won the silver in the 69kg welter category. Sanjeet, who won the gold in the 91kg heavy weight category, feels that this is only the beginning.
He says that the win here has given him confidence to face experienced boxers from other countries. Coming from a middle class family, the 20-year-old has gone through a lot to reach where he is today. “When I sent a photo of myself with the medal, my mother started crying seeing the bruises on my face. She used to scold me when I stopped studies at a young age and started concentrating on boxing. But now, she couldn’t be happier. The Commonwealth Games is huge. I don’t know if I will be a part of the squad but I will give my best if I am given a chance. The fear factor is not there any more and I feel we can bring more laurels for the country.”
vimalsankar@newindianexpress.com