Vikas adjudged ‘Best Boxer’ at Strandja

It was double delight for Indian boxer Vikas Krishan at the Strandja Memorial Tournament here as he didn’t just claim a gold medal but was also adjudged the best boxer of the event in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia — a first for an Indian.

The 26-year-old defeated world championships bronzemedallist Troy Isley of the USA in the middle-weight (75kg) finals to claim his first medal since the Asian Championships bronze last year in April-May.

It was a massive turnaround for Vikas, who had not just been laid low by a hand injury but had also found himself in the disciplinary line of fire after giving a walkover in his Asian Championships semifinal last year.

“It is a big comeback for me and I feel I am a much stronger boxer now. Maintaining my weight at an optimum level, which used to be a problem earlier, is no longer an issue for me. I have also improved my technique and endurance,” Vikas said.

Along with Vikas, Amit Panghal (49kg) claimed a gold medal, rounding off India’s best ever performance at the tournament. The country ended with a whopping 11 medals — five from men and six from women boxers.

In all, the contingent clinched two gold, three silver and six bronze medals.

“I beat some good opponents in the run-up to the final and that is a massive boost for my confidence,” said Vikas.