Tricky draw for Indian boxers, Vikas gets a bye

London - India’s star boxer Vijender Singh, a bronze medallist in the Beijing Games, will start his 2012 Olympic campaign against Kazakhstan’s Danabek Suzhanov in the first round of the men’s 75kg at the Excel Arena here Saturday.

In the draw that was held here Thursday, Shiva Thapa, youngest Indian boxer in Olympics, finds himself pitted against Mexican boxer Oscar Valdez Fierro in the first round of the 56kg that also gets underway Saturday.

Vikas Krishan (69kg), World Championship bronze medallist, has been seeded third and is the only Indian to get a first round bye.

Five-time world champion M.C. Mary Kom (51kg) will take on Polish boxer Karolina Michalczuk in the first round of 51kg as women’s boxing makes its Olympic debut August 5.

In the men’s 60kg category, India’s Jai Bhagwan will start his campaign against Seychelles’ Allisop Andrique while Manoj Kumar takes on Turkmenistan’s Hudayberdiyev Serdar in the first round of the 64kg.

Devendro Singh will take on Honduras’ Bayron Molina Figueroa in the opening round of the 49kg and Sumit Sangwan faces Brazilian Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino in the first round of the 81kg.

Indian boxing will have its biggest ever participation in the Olympic Games with an unprecedented eight Indian boxers, who are capable of winning medals.