Unbeaten boxing pro, Vijender Singh, is set to make a big return to the boxing ring. The 35-year old will face an as-yet-unnamed opponent in Goa on 19 March and it promises to be a major moment for all Indian boxing fans.
Vijender Singh is widely known as one of India’s all-time greats of the boxing ring. With medals won in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, Vijender became one of the nation’s major sporting stars. However, with organizational difficulties in the professional boxing realm, it looked like Vijender’s star might have faded. All of this means that this month’s upcoming bout could be the last roll of the dice for the 35-year old.
All about the Goa fight
Vijender Singh has fought in massive boxing matches everywhere from the UK to the USA. But on 8 March sports fans will see the boxer fighting in his native country. The fight will take place on the Majestic Pride casino ship in Goa.
Such casino ships are common in this part of the area as a result of licensing regulations. The Majestic Pride is starting to host such sporting events in a bid to diversify its incomes in the face of online competition from sites like wetten.com and other offshore online casino operators. Not that Vijender is a stranger to fighting in gaming establishments, as he famously beat Charles Amadu in the Caesars Palace resort in Dubai in November 2019.
It will be the first fight of its kind to take place on the rooftop deck of the casino ship. The fight will be taking place through the IOS Boxing Promotions company. The brand was launched in 2015 in a bid to offer a greater professional boxing service across the whole of India. Alongside the formidable likes of Vijender, IOS Boxing Promotions has a range of other top Indian boxers on its books. These include the likes of Akhil Kuma, KudeepDhanda, and Dharmender Grewal.
A major challenge for the undefeated boxing star
It has been well over one year since Vijender last fought. This saw him gaining a well-fought win over Charles Amadu in Dubai in November 2019. It was a great result that came quickly on the heels of a stunning knock-out of Mike Snider earlier that year. By the end of 2019, Vijender was on a 12-fight unbeaten run that saw him claim the WBO Asia Pacific super-middleweight and WBO Oriental super-middleweight titles.
With a break in boxing due to the ongoing pandemic, many had thought that Vijender had hung up his gloves for good. But while there was a brief attempt at a political career, it seems that Vijender always wanted to return to the ring.
The 2008 Olympics middleweight bronze medallist had previously struggled to find the right agency to handle his professional fight bookings. In fact, Vijender failed to have any fights in 2018 and there were prior fallouts with organizations such as Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. However, it looks like Vijender is over these setbacks and is back to doing what he does best.
Many of Vijender’s best performances have taken place on home soil. These have included that iconic win over Kerry Hope in New Delhi in July 2016 along with a tough-fought victory over Ernest Amazzu in Jaipur in December 2017.
Big preparations for Vijender
The 35-year old has made it clear that he wants to be in perfect condition for the big fight. It has been revealed that Vijender has been carrying out extensive training sessions with his ex-teammate Jai Bhagwan ahead of the Goa bout. This has been combined with rigorous eight-hour sparring sessions, and he’s taken inspiration from the likes of Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson to keep fighting despite his advancing years.
If Vijender manages to continue his unbeaten run in Goa, it raises some big questions about where he can take his career next. The Indian boxer has said that there’s the possibility of fighting in the US in late spring or early summer. All of which sets up the Goa match to be a hugely important encounter in the dramatic return of Vijender Singh.
