Vijender looks for winning start to year in 4th pro contest

He has been nothing short of sensational so far and Indian boxing star Vijender Singh would look to ensure that his winning streak remains intact when he takes on Hungarian Alexander Horvath in his fourth professional bout here tomorrow.
The former Olympic and World Championships bronze-medallist would be stepping into to compete in his first fight of the year after three knockout wins last year.
But tomorrow, he would be squaring off against his most experienced rival so far who has resorted to bizarre antics like dining on snake blood in the name of preparations.
Horvath has a decent record of winning 5 out of 7 fights and has 31 rounds under his belt to count for experience.

Vijender has been training for 10 hours a day to prepare for the contest, which was originally scheduled for last month but was delayed owing to technical issues.
"I need to continue my unbeaten record and it's important that I put on a commanding performance against Horvath and then next at Harrow to keep on course for my title shot and my homecoming," Vijender said.

"Horvath is a good solid opponent for, maybe he will give me a few new tests, he has done more rounds than me and has a bit more experience, but will that compete with the power that I have and when I start landing my shots I don't believe that he'll be standing around for too long," added the 30-year-old.

The 20-year-old Horvath, on the other hand, was no less confident about his own chances.
"I don't think Vijender is a strong opponent in front of me. He has a record of 3 wins while my record is 5 wins so I have an edge over him. I am confident I will knock him out in the first or second round to register my 6th win," the Hungarian said.
"I have seen videos of his previous pro fights and my strategy is in place to give him a lesson of boxing. For Vijender I will be the toughest one when I see him in the ring tomorrow," he added.

(REOPENS DEL 27)
On whether professional boxing is the way forward for Indian boxers given the shambolic state of amateur boxing administration in the country, Vijender said it could well be the case in the times to come.
"May be it is going to be, right now we have three boxers in the Olympics. But why not? We are creating that platform for the youth. We can have good pro boxers shaping up. Right now, parents might feel what is the career if their kid takes up boxing but with pro, we are creating a new space for the youth, where there is limelight and a good career like me. So they can take up boxing as a career," he said.

Vijender's British trainer Lee Beard, who is here with him for this weekend's fight, said he has worked on adding variations to the Indian star's powerful jab.
"He has always had a great right hand. I have been focussing on his left. He had a great jab too and the way he sets it up (the punches) is very good. We have been working on the variations to his jab," he said.
The renowned trainer was effusive in his praise for the Haryana-lad, who he feels, is as good as any celebrated pro boxer in the circuit.
"Vijender is very experienced, very smart and very athletic. He is on the same level as some of the best that I have trained. He is among the smartest," he said.

"Every boxer is different in the sense that they have different rhythms, different styles but as far as the boxing brain is concerned, Vijender has the same as any world class fighter I have seen or trained. I have trained world champions, and he has got the same boxing brain," he added.
The bout will be held at the Thyagaraj Stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 6,000, and Vijender has already invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and several other dignitaries for what promises to be a mega-event.
The tickets of the bout are already on sale and the organisers claim that the first two phases of the sale has been sold out.