Star boxer takes on Hope for WBO title in Delhi tonight Vijender ready to rumble
An extravagant buildup, promotion coated in colour and glitter and a raging war of words have all finally come to this — the showdown.
A year after taking the professional route, star boxer Vijender Singh is all set to display his wares in front of his home crowd for the first time when he takes on former WBCC European champion Kerry Hope of Australia for the WBO Asia- Pacific supermiddleweight title at the Thyagraj Sports Complex here on Saturday.
Originally from Wales, Hope has experience far greater than Vijender, having won 23 out of 30 bouts including four knock- outs in his 12- year long professional career. Vijender, on the other hand, has a short but enviable record comprising six wins in as many pro bouts and all being knock outs.
Weighing 75.7 kgs, Vijender looked excited, for obvious reasons, to go all guns blazing at his opponent on Saturday. “I can’t wait for tomorrow. I am fighting in Delhi after six years, the 2010 Commonwealth Games were the last time I fought in this city,” the 30- year- old said.
Giving Vijender a suspicious look, Hope said that his oppenent did not look like he had been training. “We will see tomorrow” was the prompt response from the Beijing Olympics bronze medallist.
The pressure of the massive crowd support will be on the local lad believes Hope.
“I have fought many bouts in the opponent’s backyard and know how it is. Vijender will have real pressure on him to win in front of his home crowd,” said the Australian.
Besides the feature bout of the night, there will be a number of exciting undercard fights including the IBC super- welterweight title fight and two IndoThai bouts. Two girls trained by the iconic M. C. Mary Kom facing each other also find place in the schedule.
It is learnt that a galaxy of renowned personalities will assemble to witness Vijender and other Indian boxers in action. Some of those include cricketers Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Kapil Dev, double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, actors Irrfan Khan, Jimmy Shergil, Randeep Hooda and Neha Dhupia and a number of political heavyweights.