Akhil returns to make up for 2008
It’s been nine years since the Beijing Olympics, but the quarterfinal exit still haunts boxer Akhil Kumar.
The frustration of missing out on a medal at the 2008 Games and the desire for more name and fame has motivated the 36-yearold pugilist to make a comeback in the international arena for the third time. He will be facing Australian boxer TY Gilchrist in his professional boxing debut in Mumbai on August 5.
“I was very confident of a podium finish in Beijing as I had trained hard for it. I went there eyeing the gold medal. When I defeated the top two boxers, everybody, including me, thought that the medal was within my reach.
“But things went unexpected in the quarterfinals and I lost. It’s been a month short of nine years, but I am unable to forget the Beijing nightmare,” recalls Akhil, who is a deputy superintended of police in Haryana and has taken a one-year leave without salary to pursue his professional boxing dreams.
“I know because of my age, things wouldn’t be easy for me in professional circuit and I have to really work hard to leave a mark there. But fighting the age is easy for me than living with the Beijing memories. Nothing can compensate the Olympic medal, but I hope some wins in the pro circuit will help ease off the agony of losing the most important fight of my boxing career,” adds Akhil, who is currently training in Gurgaon.
INJURY STRUGGLE
After the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a string of injuries forced him to stay away from boxing. He made his first comeback during the World Series Boxing in 2011. But injury again forced him to stay away. He made his second comeback at the 2014 Asian Games but there he lost in the pre-quarterfinals.
“For the last few years, I was struggling. But now things are under control. Now I am using a lot of scientific methods, including support from physiotherapist, during my training. And if everything goes well, I will make a name in the pro circuit for sure,” says Akhil, who is famous for his open guard stance.