‘My rivals will feel the punch
Ahead of his third Games, boxer Vikas Krishan sees better balance and stronger left punch as key to a medal in Tokyo
There was a time when Vikas Krishan was seen as a perfect understudy to Vijender Singh. Both were products of the famed Bhiwani Boxing Club in Haryana. While Vijender made the world take note of Indian boxers with a 75kg bronze at the 2008 Olympics, teenager Krishan was proving a handful to opponents at the youth level.
Those baby steps soon grew into rapid strides at the senior level when Krishan, still only 18, surprised by winning the lightweight (60kg) gold at the 2010 Asian Games. It was natural progression to the 2012 London Olympics, though it only started a series of haunting memories.
At London’s EXCEL Exhibition Centre, Krishan was a win away from a medal in the 69kg after he was named winner over Errol Spencer Jr of the US. The celebrations though didn’t last long as the result was overturned following a protest by the US. Some experts felt Kishan would have been better off had he been more aggressive overall. Kishan though came back strong at the 2016 Rio Games in 75kg. Vijender had by then turned pro and Krishan was expected to follow in his footsteps. He again fell a win short in Brazil, losing the quarter-final to Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev, the eventual silver medallist.
“Those memories still haunt me. I am the only Indian male boxer to win the Asian Games and CWG gold (2018). I started my senior career with a gold, I want to finish it with an Olympic medal,” Krishan said from his base at the National Institute of Sport, Patiala.
The Tokyo Olympics will provide him a third chance (among Indian boxers, only Vijender and Mary Kom have taken part in three Games) to win a medal. It will also be his final attempt. “This is my last Olympics. I have nothing to lose. I will punch them hard this time, my opponents will feel it. I came close (2012 and 2016), but what to do? Maybe God wanted me to wait a bit longer. In London, I was expected to carry forward the legacy of Vijender. I was young and did not understand many things… Now, I want to leave my legacy.”
Indian men’s boxing has grown in strength in the last decade and Krishan, 29, has been the dot connecting the old and new. “I am the oldest in the men’s camp. I have been part of the senior set-up for more than a decade. There are guys who have been in the senior camp for five years or less. There is a responsibility now on me,” he said.
After competing in 75kg from 2014-2018, Krishan went back to 69kg in the last two years and will stick to it in Tokyo. “This is a tough category. In the lighter weights, the strategy is mostly hit and run. Heavier weights rely on power punches. The 69kg and 75kg are the middle weights. In 75kg the focus is more on power, but in 69kg, the variety is more. Some boxers rely on speed, some on solid technique and some on power. “India never had anything to show in 69kg. Even Vijender, who boxed in 69kg before moving to 75kg, did not win anything major in the category. Dilbag Singh dominated 69kg for 10 years, but even he did not have anything major to show. I want to leave a mark.”
The bronze won at the Dubai Asian meet in May has boosted
Krishan’s belief. “It was a good experience. But I also got twothree cuts above my left eye; that’s why I did not compete in the semis. I got six stitches and didn’t want to take a risk.”
Managing bodyweight will be key for Krishan. “I weigh around 71kg. My plan would be to bring it down to 69kg at least once in the week leading to Olympics. That way my body will be accustomed to the weight.”
At the camp organised in Italy, and as India tune up for Tokyo, Krishan’s focus has been on fine-tuning technique. “After qualifying, I sat down with CA Kuttappa sir (India’s chief men’s boxing coach), Santiago Nieva (High Performance Director) and personal coach Roland
Simms (US). We marked four-five areas that would me from winning an Oly medal,” Krishan, who has trained at the Inspire Institu Sport in Vijaynagar, Karnat said. The learning process mostly focused on footwork balance, more like professio Krishan himself was brief pro in 2019, and has two wi
“The focus has been on the pros compete. They pla hurt the opponent. They pre for longer rounds, 6 to 12. A teur boxing is about sco points; it is hit and run. The a teurs rely more on speed, w pros have power. Pros are m stable in leg-work. I want to that aspect. My speed has al been good and I am countin it,” Krishan said. “I don’t wa research too much about opponents. That puts pres on me. Rather I am focusin my own strengths. Earlier, I only concerned about my t guard. Now I am focusing m on stepping back so that I ca more counters.
“In pro, I was much more ble and waiting for the h punches; in amateur, we only three rounds. Also, pad on the gloves is good so we erally don’t get a knockout. W I am trying is to use more l and fast hands to score, n get knocked down or wait fo opponent to deliver hard bl If the opposition comes, I going to hit him hard and on scoring.
“After Olympic qualificati sat with my coaches and w down areas I need to work First of all, I needed to wor my left hand. It was not effective, but now I h achieved my target. My le working as much as my rig have greater control and ance. I have also worked on power.”