29-year-old Vijender Singh is one of the hottest stars in Asian sport and after a rigorous testing week recently in the UK, he is returning in July to start training with Lee Bird, who also coached the famous Ricky Hatton.
Singh’s bronze medal victory in Beijing was a landmark event in India’s sporting history as it was the nation’s first ever boxing medal in the Games.
He is credited for the consequent surge in boxing’s popularity in his home country. The highly decorated former amateur star has a sparkling resume that includes silver at the 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games; bronze at the 2006 Asian Games, 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2009 World Amateur Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games; gold at the 2010 Asian Games, and he was rated as the world’s number one ranked middleweight in 2009. He also competed in the 2004 and 2012 Olympics.
Vijender is from a small village called Kaluwas, in the Bhiwani district of Haryana state. He started to box when he was 12. His brother was already into the sport, and Vijender took to it enthusiastically, boxing with coaches at the Bhivani Boxing Club near his village. “My family was supportive,” he said. He enjoyed being out in the natural environment as much as possible.
From a small village with few facilities, “Somehow I got a place in the national camp. Then I shifted to the National Institute of Sports Patiala, a training centre, and thereafter I was picked for other major tournaments,” he explained.
Vijender fought his first match in 1997.
After Vijender won an Olympic medal for his country, a lot youngsters following him adopted boxing as a career.
Frank Warren visited India in 2009 and went to Patiala to watch Vijender Singh. He was impressed with his tactics and level of fitness.
Frank Warren was accompanied by Neerav Tomar, the MD and CEO of IOS Sports and Entertainment, the company that now manages Vijender Singh. It has been managing him since 2005. Talks between Neerav and Frank Warren have been going on since then, we are told.
“I have spent enough time in amateur boxing, so now I want to enter professional boxing too,” said Vijender. Five or six Indian boxers have tried to turn pro but they have not succeeded.
Even for him, he had to undergo an intense week of mental and physical tests before he was signed.
Some mistakenly think that he came to the UK and legendary promoter Frank Warren was ready with a deal.
No; he was made to test through six tough days of running with other grueling challenges, with Lee Bird examining him closely to check his ability to respond quickly, his reactions and what tactics he used. After the six days of Lee Bird conducting the tests, he then issued a “No objection” certificate.
“Now I want to do something for the country and win titles,” said Vijender.
The day Vijender signed the deal, IOS Sport and Entertainment received a lot of requests from youngsters and even senior boxers who also now want to turn pro.
“I was not ready before, but now is the best time for me to turn professional and give the Olympics opportunity to other youngsters,” Vijender said.
He knows he faces challenges ahead as professional training is tough. It means starting early at the fitness centres and going home late.
“I have to work a lot on my mental and physical fitness; there is a lot for me to do now. Earlier on I fought three rounds, pro boxing mean 12 rounds. I am excited to start training on July 27th, he said.
Vijender’s regime will be at least six-eight hours a day, six days a week.
Every Saturday, he will do mountain running, carrying heavy weights on his back and shoulders. Champions work hard.
He feels that boxing and other sports like tennis are always in the shadows of the great God Cricket in India, though through him, boxing’s profile has risen.
Multi-talented Singh is not only a star in the boxing ring, the 29-year-old has also starred on the big-screen in the Bollywood smash hit movie “Fugly” and is a judge on MTV’s “Roadies.”
