Now that Vijender Singh has won the WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title, he has to Feature in a fight every 120 days and box against a mandatory challenger once a year to retain his crown. He can even challenge any title-holder if he aspires for bigger glory, writes Y. B. Sarangi.
Vijender Singh celebrates after winning the WBO Asia pacific super middleweight championship, defeating Kerry Hope of Australia, at the Thyagaraj stadium in New Delhi. “this has come after a lot of hard work put in by me, my trainer and my team. I thank my coach, my promoter and my team who have done a great job. I also thank all the fans who have watched me today,” said the champion Indian boxer.
Hands on his hips in the official face-off ahead of the WBO Asia Pacific titlebout, Vijender Singh proclaimed what he was out to achieve against Australian Kerry Hope.
Following his biggest achievement in his short professional career, the iconic Indian boxer struggled to keep his emotions in check. “It is not about me; it is about my nation, my country,” said Vijender, 30, bursting into tears inside the ring. It was his first professional fight at home.
“This has come after a lot of hard work put in by me, my trainer and my team. I thank my coach, my promoter and my team who have done a great job. I also thank all the fans who have watched me today,” he added.
Vijender’s Tears were a manifestation of his sense of fulfilment after putting in a prolonged effort to make the bout a success in a country where professional boxing is still nascent. It required meticulous planning by his promoter, IOS Boxing Promotions. Vijender himself did a lot of groundwork, visiting all the celebrities and inviting them — and thereby creating a buzz for the event — apart from sweating it out in the gym with his trainers.
He and his team understood well the importance of marketing a pro boxing bout, and they gave everything towards achieving it.
This story is from the July 30, 2016 edition of Sportstar.
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This story is from the July 30, 2016 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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