All set for his foray into the professional arena, Indian boxing star Vijender Singh has asserted that his transition from the amateur circuit is like a new era of his life.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics medallist has been training for more than a month under globally acclaimed trainer Lee Beard in Manchester. Vijender feels that his life has now totally changed with no fellow Indian boxers in the dressing room, no Indian food and no friends.
"It's altogether a different beginning of my life. I am really excited for the debut day and I am in shape as I've stayed for more than one month in this gym with trainers like Lee beard and Haroon Headley," Vijender said.
"My trainers are new and it's almost a month I am with them and I am the only one Indian boxer training here. In amateur boxing there were like 2-3 boxers with me in the changing room all the time but right now I am all alone with my trainers so there is a difference. I just want to box hard that day," he added.
With his debut scheduled for October 10, Vijender is training for eight to 10 hours a day. The 29-year-old from Haryana admitted that the practice sessions are much tougher than he was used to during his amateur days, but is confident of a winning start in the professional circuit.
"In professional training is really hard but I love to do hard work in my life. There is nothing easy because everything has changed now as I was an amateur boxer but now I am turning pro so everything will be changed slowly but I am hard working so I can do it and there is no easy thing in pro boxing," Vijender remarked.
More From This Section
"It's going to be amazing so just wait and watch. My aim is to make a winning start."
The former World No.1 informed that he is enjoying the experience of learning new techniques from his trainers and sparring partners and has already got used to the smaller gloves used in the professional circuit.
"I am learning new techniques every day from boxers like Jason, Andrian (Gonzalez) and Jack (Catterall) whom I follow. I see them how they use different techniques so I just watch and learn from them," the former Asian Games champion said.
"I started using (smaller gloves) in sparring so many times and finish almost 10-15 sparring last month so there's not a big difference as I am used to it."