Very soon you will realise boxers love getting hurt
Top professional boxer Vijender tells his younger self, keep believing even when you aren’t winning
Dear me LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF Dear 13-year-old Vijender,
I know there is nothing good about this morning. Your limbs are sore. You feel like quitting. You feel like you aren’t cut out for this. But hang on, these are early days. And remember, it was your decision to take up boxing. You have already made up your mind to be a boxer. The reason: you have heard people say that ‘doing well in sport gets you a job in the police or the army’. Your grandfather, a boxer and a retired armyman, will tell you that ‘boxing is easy’.
So, boxing it is! You see the boys training at Sports Authority of India hostel near your school in Bhiwani. You will approach coach Jagdish Singh to allow you to practice with them. That will be the easy part, the difficult one will be to buy headgear and gloves. You know your parents won’t be able to afford it. So, you will ask the coach for permission to use the hostel’s gear. He will agree, he has seen a spark in you.
Your life will change. No more loitering with friends. Your routine will be: leave home early, train, head to school, return to training, get back to school, take part in the evening’s training session before heading home. Your parents, both somewhat taciturn, will be supportive.
Then in a tournament you will get hurt, a deep gash on the eyebrow will need stitches. It will shock you and mom’s eyes will well up with tears. Later, getting hurt won’t bother you. In fact, you will realise that boxers love getting hurt.
You will start taking part in state and national juniors without much success. Doubts will creep in and you will remember your father’s words. “Don’t worry, it’s part of the game, you will win the next time.” His advice will keep you positive.
The turning point will come at a preparatory camp in Germany in 2003. India will send two teams, you’ll be part of the ‘B’ team and beat a boxer from the ‘A’ team. Even though you are just 18, people will take notice. You will go on to win the senior national, adjudged ‘Best Boxer’ and despite coach GS Sandhu’s reservations, make the Afro-Asian Games squad and win silver. The Athens Olympics will be next. You won’t go far but the experience will strengthen your resolve.
Soon after, you will achieve the target of getting a job. You will be recruited by the North Western Railway.
From 2006 to 2010, you will be the face of boxing in India. The medals will come regularly but nothing will match what you achieve at Beijing Olympics. India’s first boxing bronze.
Yours, Vijender Singh