Ever since Vijender Singh burst onto the scene in 2008, winning India their first medal in boxing, the sport has garnered significant viewership in the country, which spikes especially during the Olympics. Vijender’s heroics to win the bronze in Beijing led to the development of a new generation of boxers who hope to conquer the world stage, and aim to fly the Indian flag high at Rio 2016.
Vijender’s progression to the professional circuit means the baton has been passed on to a new generation of boxers, who have the potential and the desire to make their country proud. Here we look at 3 boxers who could potentially earn a medal in their respective categories, at Rio 2016.
#1 Vikas Krishan Yadav
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Life changed for Vikas Krishan Yadav post the Asian Games of 2010. The 25-year-old boxer from Bhiwani district of Haryana, famous for producing some of India’s finest boxers and wrestlers, fought his way to a gold medal in the event. Having joined the Bhiwani boxing club at the age of 10 in 2003, Yadav’s career progressed steadily.
He picked up gold at the Asian Youth Games of 2010, bronze in the 2010 youth Olympics and gold in the 2010 youth Amateur Boxing Championships. 2010 was his best year in term of performances till date.
Yadav’s feats that year were capped off by gold in the Asian Games, where he defeated Hu Qin of China in an exciting final round. In the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships, Vikas won a bronze in the welterweight category.
When the London Olympics of 2012 came around, Vikas was hotly tipped to be amongst India’s foremost medal contenders. However, a first round exit under controversial circumstances meant his hopes, as well as that of the nation were dashed.
Despite emerging the winner, an appeal by Vikas’ American opponent, on the grounds that the referee had failed to spot numerous infringements by Yadav during the bout caused the decision to be overturned. This impacted Yadav deeply, and he took a yearlong hiatus from boxing as a result. Now he is back in the ring, and looks set to challenge for a medal at Rio 2016.
#2 Manoj Kumar:
Manoj Kumar is another of India’s boxers who hopes to return from Rio with a medal around his neck. Hailing from Rajound village in the Kaithal district of Haryana, Manoj Kumar is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, having secured the first position in the light welterweight division in 2010.
The 30-year-old Manoj was more attracted to athletics in his early life, while his brother Rajesh Kumar had a liking for boxing.
However, despite winning the University Boxing Championship, Rajesh was not selected for the national team, and this prompted him to encourage his brother Manoj to take up boxing as well. He also coaxed the youngest brother to pick up the gloves, so that Manoj would have a sparring partner.
If Manoj does return from Rio with a medal, he will be deeply indebted to his brother for introducing him to the sport in the first place.
Manoj has won bronze medals at the 2007 and 2013 Asian Championships, and gold at the 2016 South-Asian Games, apart from his Commonwealth Games gold medal. He has performed relatively consistently in the light welterweight division in recent times.
Manoj was another sufferer of dubious decision-making at the London Olympics in 2012. Having won his first bout, he was engaged in a titanic fight against world number 1 Tom Stalker of Great Britain. The final score read 20-16 in favour of Stalker, but many of the points awarded to him were certainly not merited.
Manoj will look to overcome the disappointment of that loss and give his best at Rio this time too.
#3 Shiva Thapa:
Shiva Thapa is the youngest boxer amongst the 3 in this list. The 22-year-old Assamese was the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics. Currently ranked 3rd in the bantamweight category in the AIBA Men’s World Ranking, Shiva is the brightest medal prospect amongst the Indian boxers on show at Rio 2016.
The youngest of 6 children of Padam Thapa, a Nepali origin Karate instructor from Guwahati, Shiva’s family had to struggle hard for him to realise his dreams.
Shiva’s brother Gobind Thapa was a state-level medal winning boxer and served as Shiva’s inspiration during his childhood. He also derived inspiration from seeing telecasts of Mike Tyson’s bouts. To balance his studies and his passion for boxing, Shiva used to rise at 3 A.M. to practice.
The monthly expenditure for his practice was initially handled by his father, and later taken over by the Olympic Gold Quest, who realised the immense potential that the boy possessed.
Shiva’s finest moments in the boxing ring till date came in 2012, when he defeated Syria’s Wessam Salamana to clinch the gold medal in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers and secure passage to the London Olympics in the 56 kg category, thereby becoming the youngest Indian boxer to do so.
Despite falling at the first hurdle in London, a lot is expected of Shiva at his second Olympics outing, in Rio.
