Know your Indian boxers: 5 hopefuls for the 2016 Rio Olympics

Devendro(2nd from left), Thapa(3rd from right), Manoj and YadavA small Indian contingent will be amongst the 260 boxers who will look to battle their way to the summit of the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships that begin tomorrow in Doha, Qatar. The second-most prestigious boxing tournament will run from the 5th to the 18th of October and is the first qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics.Cuba have been the most successful team in the tournament’s history, with 121 medals, including 67 golds. Russia take the second spot, with 59 medals, of which 20 are golds. The United States of America are third, with 41 medals (16 golds) and Asian powerhouses Kazakhstan are fourth, with 32 medals (10 golds). India have an unimpressive tally of 2 medals, both bronze. But with the talented line-up of boxers heading into the current tournament, this number might just see a sharp rise in the next week. Apart from hoping for India’s first gold medal at the tournament, people will also hope that we see a fair number make it through to the next Olympic qualifier and evetually, all the way.Here, we take a look at India’s top prospects at the Worlds

#1 Shiva Thapa

Thapa is a strong contender for the Olympics

Date of Birth: 08/12/1993 (Age 21)

Height: 5”6’ (168 cms)

Division: Bantamweight – 54 Kgs

The young Guwahati lad was inspired by icon Mike Tyson’s matches to take up the sport seriously. In the 2012 Asian Olympic Qualifiers, Thapa secured the gold medal by beating Syrian Wessam Salamana, and became the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics (London 2012). He is known for his fast footwork.

Thapa won a silver medal in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Thapa’s father is a karate instructor and his brother is a boxer too, who has won medals in Assam’s state-level competitions. Thapa is supported by Anglian Medal Hunt Company, an organisation that supports young Indian athletes, with particular emphasis on the Olympics.

Shiva Thapa is ranked 3rd in the bantamweight category in the AIBA Men's World Ranking. He has participated in several walkathons and marathons held for charitable causes.

#2 Devendro Singh Laishram

Devendro will be determined to make it to his 2^nd Olympics

Date of Birth: 02/03/1992

Height: 5”3’ (162 cms)

Division: Light-flyweight – 49 Kgs

Devendro hails from Imphal in Manipur and is a 2014 Commonweath Games silver-medallist. He qualified for the 2012 Olympics after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2011 World Championships. Devendro beat 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medallist Purevdorjiin Serdamba to make the quarters.

Devendro’s sister, Sushila Devi is also boxer who is an international boxing champion. She watches and analyzes all his fights, helping him to hone his strategy. He is also supported by Anglian Medal Hunt Company.

#3 Vikas Krishan Yadav

Vikas Yadav will look to make the most of his current run of good form

Date of Birth: 10/02/1993

Height: 5”10’ (178 cms)

Division: 75 Kg – Middleweight

The southpaw from Haryana’s Bhiwani district is one of Indian boxing’s rising stars. Yadav has quite a collection of medals in continental competitions in the youth and senior category: gold medal in the 2010 Asian Youth Championships, gold medal in the 2010 Youth World Championships, bronze in the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and gold in the 2010 Asian Games.

Recently, Yadav won the silver in the 2014 Asian Games and a silver in the 2015 Asian Championships, the latter qualiying him for the Worlds. His 2012 Olympic campaign ended in controversy after his intial victory was overturned on an appeal made by his opponent Errol Spence.

#4 Manoj Kumar

Manoj Kumar is one of the more experienced Indian pugilists

Date of Birth: 10/12/1986

Height: 5”8’ (172 cms)

Division: 64 Kg – Light Welterweight

Manoj Kumar hails from Rajound in the Kaithal district of Haryana. He was coached by his elder brother Rajesh Kumar Rajound, a University boxing gold-medallist. Manoj’s younger brother Mukesh was originally a judoka, but switched to boxing to become a sparring partner for Manoj. Their father, Sher Singh, is an ex-serviceman.

Manoj Kumar won a bronze in each of the 2007 and 2013 Asian Championships and a gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He is supported by Olympic Gold Quest, a non-profit sports organization founded by Indian sporting legends Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone. The organisation supports young Indian athletes who have shown enough potential, in terms of skill and performances, to win an Olympic medal.

#5 Satish Kumar

The biggest member of the Indian boxing contingent

Date of Birth: 04/05/1989

Height: 6”2’ (188 cms)

Division: 91 Kg – Super Heavyweight

Satish Kumar is known for his aggression, which he used effectively to enter the semifinals of the recently concluded Asian Championships and book a berth in the Worlds. He comes from Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh. Satish won a bronze each in the 2014 Asian Games and the 2015 Asian Championships.