India's Vijender Singh got off to a smashing start in the men's boxing event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, on Friday.
The former Olympic and World Championship bronze-medal winner's return to the ring is being closely watched after the sabbatical he was forced into due to a drug scandal earlier this year.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) may have thrown the Olympic door open for professional boxers but it is unlikely that Indian star Vijender Singh would be able to grab the opportunity even though he is keen to make it. Professional boxers would be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games in August in Rio de Janeiro provided the decision is ratified at the AIBA Extraordinary Congress on June 1 when the proposal would be put to vote. The plan is to allow pro boxers qualify for Rio via the AIBA-affiliated World Series of Boxing (WSB) and AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) event. Both these events, originally scheduled for May, could be pushed back to last week of June to give national federations enough time to send their entries. "If given a chance, I would definitely try to qualify for the Olympics. Who would want to miss an opportunity if it is there," Vijneder told PTI from Manchester where he is training for his next pro fight on March 12 in Liverpool. However, the question is whether there is any realistic opportunity for him to give it a shot. The 30-year-old middleweight's schedule is sorted till June 11 when he will make his pro debut in India by fighting for his maiden title -- the WBO Asia belt.
India's star pugilist Vijender Singh got off to a winning start at the London Olympics, scoring a convincing victory over Danabek Suzhanov of Kazakhstan, in the men's middleweight 75-kg category, on Saturday. The Beijing Olympics bronze medallist scored a 14-10 win in his first bout at the ExCel to advance to the Round of 16.
President Pratibha Patil congratulated boxer Vijender Kumar for clinching a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics. ''I am very happy and proud that you have won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in the middleweight division of the boxing competition,'' the President said in a statement on Friday.
After a knockout debut, star Indian boxer Vijender Singh will face Englishman Dean Gillen in his second professional bout and the part-time firefighter has promised to be a 'dangerous opponent' in the bout scheduled in London, on October 30.
Olympic bronze medalist Vijender Singh (75 kg) scripted history, ensuring India's maiden medal at the World Boxing championship by advancing to the semifinals in Milan, Italy.
Reader Siddharth Rajdan spotted boxer Vijender Singh at Talkatora Stadium.
After skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan, it's former cricketer Virender Sehwag, who has now jumped into the political bandwagon. The former India opener posted on his official Twitter account, appealing agitating protesters to cease violence immediately and sort out the issues peacefully by staying within the limits of Indian constitution. "I request all my brothers to voice their differences and protest by staying within the limits of our constitution. We are saviors and not violent predators," Sehwag posted on his twitter account," Sehwag wrote on his Twitter handle. "Our army and sportspersons fight for the country's pride. Our (the citizen's) passion should work in the benefit of India and not against it," he added. Sehwag's comments come in the backdrop of a raging debate on freedom of expression after an event against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. Earlier Dhoni had also voiced his opinion by hailing the Indian army, saying that the nation is in a position to debate on freedom of expression because of the men in uniform.
Nita Ambani, the chairperson at Reliance Foundation and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from India, hosted a gala dinner in honour of Thomas Bach, IOC president.
Led by Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh, Indian pugilists stole the limelight on the ninth day of the competitions with four of them storming into the finals of their respective weight categories at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, on Friday.
Akhil Kumar's wound may never heal but fellow pugilists Vijender and Jitender believe they can at least ease it it by winning their quarterfinal bouts on Wednesday.
The National Anti-Doping Agency's refusal to test star boxer Vijender Singh for heroin has leftthe Sports Ministry flummoxed and it will wait for a written response from NADA before deciding its next move.
Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra, ace shuttler Saina Nehwal and boxing hero Vijender Singh are among six sportspersons who were named brand ambassadors on Tuesday for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Olympic bronze-medallist Vijender Singh had tested negative for any banned substances conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency.
Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh on Thursday said support from a passionate home crowd will be a big boost for pugilists chasing glory at the Commonwealth Games in October.
Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain will step onto the scales a bit heavier at the Paris Olympics but feeling like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders.
In an exclusive interview with Rediff.com's Harish Kotian, Vijender analyses his performance in London and reveals the reason for switching his weight category.
He has been picked for both the Commonwealth and the Asian Games but Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh on Tuesday said he is still unhappy with the way selection trials for the two events were conducted as some "deserving" boxers have been left out.
Olympic hero Vijender Singh broke the bronze jinx and fetched one of India's two silvers at the two-day Champion of Champions invitational boxing tournament in Guangzhou, China on Tuesday.
Star boxer Vijender Singh packed a punch while assuring himself of a medal in what proved to be a good outing for Indian pugilists on Day 7 of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Thokchom Nanao Singh assured himself of a medal by advancing to semi-finals while Olympic bronze medal winner Vijender Singh pulled off a stunning triumph over Uzbek Atoev Abbos to enter the quarter-finals of the Asian Boxing Championships in Zhuhai, China, on Tuesday. Youth World champion Nanao Singh (48kg) rallied to beat Chia-Lun Lu of Chinese Taipei 8-4 and reach the semi-finals.
It was a good day for Indian boxers on Wednesday as Manpreet Singh and Vijender Singh reached the final of men's 91kg competition and 75 kg competition respectively at the Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Vijender Singh, whose dream of bagging back-to-back Olympic medals came crashing down on Monday, is planning to switch to the light-heavyweight category (81 kg) in a bid to win more medals.
Worried about the administrative logjam in Indian boxing, recently-crowned WBO Asia Pacific champion Vijender Singh pleaded with the officials to put together a new federation at the earliest for the sake of country's pugilists.
Handicapped by a dislocated thumb and up against a two-time world champion, Indian boxer Vijender Singh on Monday said he managed to pull off the Asian Games gold medal as 'luck was back' on his side a month after deserting him at the Commonwealth Games.
World Boxing Champion and World No 1, Vijender Singh said coached don't help much when it comes to making his ward mentally tough.
A gold medal eluded the Indian boxers through the evening and the four pugilists in fray for the top prize, including Olympic bronze winner Vijender Singh, had to be content with a silver each at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, on Saturday.
Indian boxer Vijender Singh earned bronze medals at the World and Asian championships in 2009 but he has a fight on his hands getting money from his state government.
Olympic hero Vijender Singh was, on Saturday, ousted in the very first round, upstaged by his Cuban nemesis Emilio Correa Bayeux, but Jai Bhagwan entered the second round on a mixed day for Indian boxers at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The boxer made for a knockout model at Archana Kochhar's show
A hand injury sustained during the Commonwealth Games has forced star Indian boxer Vijender Singh out of action for an indefinite period, which includes the upcoming Asian Games where he was the defending champion.
Fernandez evaluated India's chances at the upcoming Summer Games.
Delay in getting visas has prevented Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh and Dinesh Kumar from joining the Indian boxing team in Bugeat, France for a training trip and the duo will now head straight to the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan on September 20.
The "burden" of qualification off his back, star Indian boxer Vijender Singh is now gearing up to shoulder a fresh burden -- the one of heightened expectations -- when he appears in his third successive Olympic Games in London in July-August.
For the first time, three top sportspersons -- boxers M C Mary Kom and Vijender Singh, and wrestler Sushil Kumar -- were selected for the country's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. While the prestigious award was previously shared by two sportspersons in 1996-97 and 2002-03, Wednesday marked the first time that three were picked for the coveted honour for outstanding performances in 2008-09.
Asserting the AAP MLAs will not leave the party, Jha escalating his attack on the BJP said that Operation Lotus has begun again.
'Boxing is all about being aggressive and maintaining a tempo while you are in the ring. I film-making I realised how important it was to take a step back and be patient.'
The London Olympics disappointment behind him, Indian boxing star Vijender Singh is all set to pack a heavier punch from next year when he goes up a division to light heavyweight (81kg) for the World Championships.
In Australian Kerry Hope, Vijender Singh faces a plucky opponent who has the potential to surprise the home favourite
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