Vijender Singh could be India's first pro world champion: British boxer Amir Khan

November 4, 2015

New Delhi, Nov 4: Impressed with the professional debut of Vijender Singh, top British boxer Amir Khan feels that the former Olympic medallist could be the first world champion from India.

vijendraVijender took his first steps in the gritty world of professional boxing last month when he knocked out Sonny Whiting of England in his debut at the Manchester Arena.

It was clinical exhibition from the Haryana pugilist who took his time to get the measure of his opponent in the first round before unleashing a barrage of lethal power-packed punches to wrap up the issue within three rounds.

"Vijender did well in his debut. The fight was good. He is learning quickly. He is slowing himself down and boxing smartly. I think he he could be the first world champion from India," Khan told IANS here on Tuesday.

"It is hard to go from an amateur boxer to a professional boxer. There is a lot of difference between amateur boxing and the professional level. The training, fighting style, scoring system, everything is different. But Vijender seems to be handling the changes well. If he continues to learn and improve, I definitely feel that he has a great future ahead of him," he added. "Obviously, Vijender is a very good boxer. He is very smart and clever."

"We need more people like Vijender and Mary Kom in India. People like them are an inspiration for the youth which helps to promote boxing in India."

Khan, one of the top boxers in the welterweight category, currently holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Welterweight title. He is also a former two-time world champion in the lightweight category, having won the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles.

The 28-year-old praised the achievements of Indian boxers over the last decade and feels that the country has the potential to produce legends like his idol Mohammad Ali.

"I believe India can produce a Muhammad Ali. You have a huge population of more than a billion. With so many people, you are bound to have a lot of talent. India has the potential to produce a champion like Ali," he said.

Born to Pakistani immigrants of modest means in the English town of Bolton, Khan took to boxing at the tender age of eight. He took the world of amateur boxing by storm when he took silver in the lightweight category at the 2004 Athens Olympics at 17 -- the youngest-ever British pugilist to clinch an Olympic medal.

Khan turned pro at 19 and became one of the youngest ever British world champions, winning the WBA light welterweight title at the age of 22.

Having risen from humble roots, he now wants to give young boxers around the world a chance to achieve their dreams. He plans to launch a series of academies in India, the first of which will be set up in the Delhi-NCR region in 2016.

Khan, who also launched five academies in Karachi earlier this year, wants to start a professional boxing league in the country, involving participants from India and Pakistan.

"Indian boxers are doing really well. Your boxers are amazing. We want to promote boxing here. I want to open boxing academies in India. I am looking at opening at least five or six academies within the next 12 months," Khan said.

"There is a lot of difference between amateur boxing and the professional level. The training, fighting style, scoring system, everything is different. Professional boxing is very hard. That is why it is very hard to succeed. But Indian boxers can do well if they have the right training. That is why I am here to help.

"Vijender went to England because there is no future for him here in professional boxing. So what I want to do is to start a professional league here. We can then produce more professional world champions. People like Vijender then will not have to go to England. They can stay here and fight in front of their home fans in their own country," he added.

"If our boxers get the right training, they can definitely become world champions."

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News Network
June 10,2020

Kingston, Jun 10: "Enough is enough", said West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as he opened up on the raging issue of racism and called for "respect and equality" for black people, who have faced discrimination for years.

Bravo joined the likes of his former captain Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle in denouncing racism in the wake of African-American George Floyd's killing at the hands of a white police officer in the USA.

"It's sad to see what's going on around the world. As a black man, we know the history of what black people have been through. We never ask for revenge, we ask for equality and respect. That's it," Bravo told former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram live chat on Tuesday.

"We give respect to others. Why is it that we are facing this over and over? Now enough is enough. We just want equality. We don't want revenge, war.

"We just want respect. We share love and appreciate people for who they are. That's what is most important."

The 36-year-old, who has played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 71 T20Is for West Indies, said he wants the world to know that they are powerful and beautiful people and gave the example of greats such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan.

"I just want our brothers and sisters to know that we are powerful and beautiful. And at the end of the day, you look at some of the greats of the world, whether it is Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan we have had leaders who paved the way for us," he said.

Two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Sammy had earlier alleged that a racist nickname was used to address him during his IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and demanded an apology.

Sammy said he was called 'Kalu' while he was in India. 'Kalu' is a derogatory word to describe black people.

Gayle, who too plays in the IPL, took to Twitter to back Sammy, saying that racism does exist in cricket.

"It's never too late to fight for the right cause or what you've experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it's in the game!!," Gayle tweeted.

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News Network
May 14,2020

May 14: Veteran South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis has proposed a two-week isolation period for players before and after the T20 World Cup as a way to stage the event as per schedule later this year.

Like other sports, cricketing action too has come to a complete halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November is shrouded in uncertainty.

Talking to Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said travel was going to be an issue despite Australia being less affected by the deadly contagion.

"I am not sure... reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former captain.

Several countries across the globe, including South Africa, Australia and India, have travel restrictions in place and the veteran Proteas batsman joked travelling by boat is not an option.

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa's ODI series against India was called off after the first match in view of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

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News Network
March 7,2020

Melbourne, Mar 7: Ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup against Australia, India spinner Poonam Yadav said that skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has given her a lot of support.

"Harmanpreet has been of immense support. When I got hit for a six in the first over, she came to me and said, 'Poonam, you're one of the most experienced players in the team, and we expect better of you'," Poonam said.

The 28-year-old experienced bowler has played 68 shortest format games for India and taken 94 wickets at an average of 22.66.

She has been in devastating form throughout the tournament and has bagged nine wickets so far.

"So, that kind of stirred something within me. I told myself if my captain has that much faith in me, I should be able to make a comeback," she said.

"I took a wicket in the very next ball, and didn't look back since. Now when I look back at that moment, it means so much in the context of my individual performance and run to the final," she added.

In the opening game against Australia at Sydney Showground, Poonam came within a whisker of the third hat-trick in Women's T20 World Cup history, dismissing Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry before Jess Jonassen was dropped.

The final of the tournament will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 8 -- International Women's Day.

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