New Delhi: Indian boxing is doing very well at the international level. Recently, junior boxers won 39 medals including 15 gold at the Asian Youth and Junior Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Back home, boxers were honored in the capital Sports Authority of India And Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Wednesday. TOI arrests BFI president Ajay Singh In a special conversation on various issues related to Indian boxing.
Part…
What is your correct assessment of what went wrong at the Tokyo Olympics?
Before Covid hit us, we were doing exceptionally well. In Commonwealth, Asian … any global level championship. Part of what went wrong at the Olympics was due to a lack of preparation due to Covid. We first tried to train in India under a lot of restrictions. Then we tried and sent him abroad just before the Olympics. I think there was a difference in that whole process. Plus we peaked years ago. The federation’s entire plan for 2020 was to pinpoint its top boxers. The Olympics never happened in 2020. I know we got one medal in Tokyo, my fair assessment is that we should have got at least two more medals.
how do you handle a boxer like this Amit PanghaliWho has won a silver medal at the World Championships, but failed miserably at the Olympics, so that he is in the right mindset for future championships?
All he has to do is bring to his mind that he is no longer our star boxer. There is no star status anymore. You are there with everyone, and you box with everyone. I expect the amount of competition in their weight category will increase. Deepak (Hooda) is there, he is excellent. From my point of view send Amit for one tournament and then send Deepak for the next tournament. They have to walk shoulder to shoulder. Both have to keep fighting with each other. From now on there will be trials for everyone. No one is going to get any special treatment. Even Olympic medalist Lovlina has gone through trials to be selected in the team for the World Championships and Asian Games.
What are your plans in the future to make Indian boxing a force to be reckoned with at the international level?
We are trying to change our domestic championship structure. Today the competition structure is such that you have a very limited number of people who can reach the top. One boxer from each weight category from a state participates in the national championship. But a state like Haryana or Assam has 4-5 boxers in the weight category who are exceptionally good – almost as good as the No. 1 player. They never come to national championships because we have only one boxer. So we are trying to create an open championship structure. A National Open Championship, State Open Championship, District Open Championship…
Is there a league or big ticket event in the pipeline to be hosted by BFI?
We’re trying to build a Fight Night-like structure. Weekend Fight Nights – Get cash prizes for winning. Mainly Indian, but occasionally international boxers will also come and fight and create that excitement. Today India is a boxing powerhouse – everyone wants to come here. The Uzbekistan team wants to do a joint training program with us. Fight Nights will enhance the visibility of the game of our boxers. we also want to restart Indian Boxing League by the end of this year. India Open is also on. All these will be applicable after Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
As a president, how do you feel when boxers go to court?
When Arundhati (Chowdhary) went to the court, I was very disappointed. We want to select the absolute best. We have no ulterior motive. This (going to court) is not a healthy trend. We requested him not to go; That said, anyone has the right to go to a court of law. This is wrong, this is unhealthy. He got the real blasting from the court, from the judge. Boxers need to focus on the game. All our tests are video recorded and uploaded on the BFI website. Our sole aim is to make sure that the best boxers move forward.
Back home, boxers were honored in the capital Sports Authority of India And Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Wednesday. TOI arrests BFI president Ajay Singh In a special conversation on various issues related to Indian boxing.
Part…
What is your correct assessment of what went wrong at the Tokyo Olympics?
Before Covid hit us, we were doing exceptionally well. In Commonwealth, Asian … any global level championship. Part of what went wrong at the Olympics was due to a lack of preparation due to Covid. We first tried to train in India under a lot of restrictions. Then we tried and sent him abroad just before the Olympics. I think there was a difference in that whole process. Plus we peaked years ago. The federation’s entire plan for 2020 was to pinpoint its top boxers. The Olympics never happened in 2020. I know we got one medal in Tokyo, my fair assessment is that we should have got at least two more medals.
how do you handle a boxer like this Amit PanghaliWho has won a silver medal at the World Championships, but failed miserably at the Olympics, so that he is in the right mindset for future championships?
All he has to do is bring to his mind that he is no longer our star boxer. There is no star status anymore. You are there with everyone, and you box with everyone. I expect the amount of competition in their weight category will increase. Deepak (Hooda) is there, he is excellent. From my point of view send Amit for one tournament and then send Deepak for the next tournament. They have to walk shoulder to shoulder. Both have to keep fighting with each other. From now on there will be trials for everyone. No one is going to get any special treatment. Even Olympic medalist Lovlina has gone through trials to be selected in the team for the World Championships and Asian Games.
What are your plans in the future to make Indian boxing a force to be reckoned with at the international level?
We are trying to change our domestic championship structure. Today the competition structure is such that you have a very limited number of people who can reach the top. One boxer from each weight category from a state participates in the national championship. But a state like Haryana or Assam has 4-5 boxers in the weight category who are exceptionally good – almost as good as the No. 1 player. They never come to national championships because we have only one boxer. So we are trying to create an open championship structure. A National Open Championship, State Open Championship, District Open Championship…
Is there a league or big ticket event in the pipeline to be hosted by BFI?
We’re trying to build a Fight Night-like structure. Weekend Fight Nights – Get cash prizes for winning. Mainly Indian, but occasionally international boxers will also come and fight and create that excitement. Today India is a boxing powerhouse – everyone wants to come here. The Uzbekistan team wants to do a joint training program with us. Fight Nights will enhance the visibility of the game of our boxers. we also want to restart Indian Boxing League by the end of this year. India Open is also on. All these will be applicable after Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
As a president, how do you feel when boxers go to court?
When Arundhati (Chowdhary) went to the court, I was very disappointed. We want to select the absolute best. We have no ulterior motive. This (going to court) is not a healthy trend. We requested him not to go; That said, anyone has the right to go to a court of law. This is wrong, this is unhealthy. He got the real blasting from the court, from the judge. Boxers need to focus on the game. All our tests are video recorded and uploaded on the BFI website. Our sole aim is to make sure that the best boxers move forward.