Indian policeman wants revenge over boxing star Spence

GOLD COAST: An aggrieved Indian policeman and amateur boxer wants a rematch with world champion Errol Spence-and says he will beat the American star all over again. Spence may be the undefeated International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion with a perfect 23-0 record, 20 of them knock-outs, but he appeared to have temporarily met his match when he faced Vikas Krishan six years ago.

Krishan, who reached the semifinals of the 75kg division yesterday at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, was at the centre of a major controversy at the London 2012 Olympics. The Indian boxer was initially declared the winner over Spence in their preliminary-round clash despite the American dominating. The American camp appealed on the grounds that the referee failed to spot Krishan committing a number of fouls, including spitting out his mouth-guard intentionally and repeatedly holding.

Krishan subsequently had his shock victory overturned. The sense of injustice still burns within Krishan, 26, as his and Spence’s boxing careers go in starkly opposite directions.

Now, with at least bronze in the bag on the Gold Coast and plans to turn professional at the end of the year, Krishan is eyeing unlikely revenge against the man regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters around. “He’s one of my main targets when I go pro-because of him I’m turning pro,” said Krishan after easily defeating Zambia’s Benny Muziyo in their quarter-final.

“First I need to win all of my (pro) fights, my first 12 to 15 fights, and then I will fight him,” said Krishan, a former bronze medallist at world amateur level. “I will beat him. I beat him at the Olympics and I will beat him again.” Fellow Indian Mary Kom, a household name back home and the subject of a Bollywood film in 2014, secured at least silver with her latest victory and will face Kristina O’Hara of Northern Ireland in Saturday’s light-flyweight final.

But there was more heartache for Sarita Devi, India’s other prominent female fighter, after she lost her quarter-final bout in the 57-60kg division. Devi, 36, shot to prominence four years ago when she tearfully refused to accept her bronze medal at the Asian Games in Incheon, accusing judges of pandering to locals by declaring South Korea’s Park Ji-Na the winner on points in their semi-final. Devi had no complaints this time as she was beaten on unanimous points by Australia’s Anja Stridsman.