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India’s veteran boxer and 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist Vijender Singh has given a big statement on the prospects of the country’s boxing team in the upcoming Asian Games. Giving a detailed analysis of the sporting scenario in New Delhi, Vijender made it clear that considering the Asian Games easy on the basis of recent Commonwealth Games achievements could prove to be a big strategic mistake. Competition at the Asian level is a tough test not only of physical strength but also of speed, technique and tactical strategy.
According to Vijender, the competition at the Asian stage is much more brutal and technically advanced than the Commonwealth Games. In Asia, India will face direct competition from global boxing giants like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China and host Japan. These are the countries whose boxing nurseries are considered top across the world and whose players dominate the Olympic and World Championship podiums. He praised the Indian Boxing Federation and the athletes for their recent progress, but added a warning that past records become void once they step into the ring.
Assessing the strength of the Indian contingent, Vijender Singh acknowledged that this time the women’s boxing contingent looks highly balanced and the strongest contender for a medal. Young and aggressive boxers like Sakshi Chaudhary, Preeti Pawar and Priya Ganga clearly display world-class technique and aggressiveness to dominate in the ring. These boxers have continuously improved their game at the domestic and international levels, making their chances of a podium finish very strong.
The biggest guiding force of the team in the women’s category is Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohai. Vijender underlined that in pressure-packed matches of big tournaments, it is not just technical tricks that help, but mental strength and experience on the big stage decides victory. Lovlina has the experience to win the match in the last moments of the knockout stages. This international experience of hers will not only enhance her personal performance but will also help in instilling confidence in young women players.
Talking about the prospects in the men’s category, the former world number one boxer picked Sachin, Deepak Bhoria and Anmol Beniwal as India’s biggest medal contenders. He said that the footwork and counter-attacking speed of these boxers is enough to stun the Asian giants. However, highlighting the uncertainty of boxing, he reminded that no medal can ever be considered certain inside the ring, because one precise strike of the gloves can turn the entire match in seconds.
Vijender estimates that despite tough competition, Indian boxers can win five to six medals in the Asian Games. For this, Indian boxers will have to keep their lead clear on the judges’ scorecard from the initial round itself, so that there is no scope for any kind of doubt in the final decision. In the match against Uzbek and Kazakh boxers, control of speed and distance will decide the color of the medal.
Explaining his strategy in detail, Vijender Singh shared the unseen story of the historic gold medal match at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. In that final, he faced the then world champion Abbas Sattar, whom Vijender defeated 7-0 in a one-sided manner. Vijender revealed that he had badly injured his thumb in the very first round of the match, which was causing unbearable pain while throwing punches.
In such a critical situation, he showed unwavering faith in the coach’s strategy. Taking strategic advantage of his tall stature, he did not allow his Iranian rival to come close to him. He created distance by continuously circling the ring and kept scoring points by delivering his trademark right straight punch at the right time. He said that injury or adverse circumstances can never be an excuse in the ring, rather quick intelligence and strategic discipline is what makes a player a champion.
For today’s modern athletes, Vijender Singh gave the most important and bitter advice regarding excessive use of smartphones and internet media. He said in blunt words that today’s players have access to world class gyms, scientific food, physio and technical facilities, which were rare in their times. Despite this, the addiction of getting instant popularity on mobile screens and social media is diverting the attention of players from their main goal.
Vijender gave the mantra to the boxers to completely shun all digital platforms during the tournament and focus their energy only on video analysis of the opponent, mental concentration and strategy. A microsecond’s lack of concentration in the ring means a knockout. Therefore, instead of chasing the applause of the virtual world, sweating in the real ring is the only way to ensure a medal.
To further cement the future of Indian men’s boxing, Vijender advocated fundamental changes in the domestic structure. He stressed that national level competitions have to be made highly competitive, so that no boxer can reach the international squad with an easy victory. Unless there is tough competition in the domestic ring, the ability to withstand international pressure cannot be developed.
Along with this, he suggested the Indian Boxing Federation to organize a joint training camp with the national teams of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. By doing regular sparring with boxers from these countries, Indian boxers will be able to easily understand the fast and defensive techniques of the Central Asian style. Vijender concluded that the challenge of the Asian Games is undoubtedly tough, but with the right mental approach, digital composure and ring smarts, Indian boxers are fully capable of repeating history.