FIGHTING AMBITION
SIKH BOXER SEEKS TO ‘HONOUR HIS HERITAGE’
THE British Indian boxer Jordan Flynn-Dhanjal has said he wants to be the first Sikh world champion.
Flynn-Dhanjal has racked up five professional wins, with his fast hands attracting large audiences.
He maintained his unbeaten record last Saturday (30) at Bracknell Leisure Centre, beating his Romanian opponent Constantin Radoi.
“My grandad passed away two years ago, and that would be such a fitting way to honour his legacy,” says Flynn-Dhanjal, who has a Sikh father and English mother.
He added: “This is more than boxing. It’s about honouring my heritage. I’m proud to be a Sikh and come from a proud Sikh tradition. I was born here, but my background is a big part of who I am.
“What a lot of British people don’t realise is Sikhism has a strong warrior tradition. To Sikhs, the word ‘khalsa’ means to be free, to be liberated and it’s all about self-defence, fighting against cruelty or persecution.
“One of the duties of khalsa is to practise combat. A lot of Sikhs carry a kirpan, a kind of sword, to represent that. So Sikhism and boxing go together pretty well.”
Growing up in Oxford, the young Flynn-Dhanjal showed hyperactive tendencies. As a result, his father first took him to karate lessons when he was six years old. He took to the sport well and progressed quickly, but it was clear that he preferred punching to kicking.
“Even as a kid, I had very fast hands. So I guess boxing made sense and we made the switch. I first started boxing training when I was eight at Berinsfield amateur boxing club and never looked back,” FlynnDhanjal said.
At the age of 12, he won the schoolboys’ national title. Later, he moved to the Repton ABC in London, making the journey from his home in Oxford four days a week to spar with future world champions Charlie and Sunny Edwards and Lawrence Okolie.
Flynn-Dhanjal went on to represent England in international competitions and won two further national amateur titles.
“I just loved the feeling of winning and getting better. I love the progression too, the feeling of working towards something. I’ve always looked at this as a long-term thing,” he said.
He became a professional boxer in 2019 under the guidance of former British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Kevin Mitchell.
“Training with Kevin is fantastic. We’re based at the Matchroom gym in Essex and he works me really hard, but we combine into a great partnership. With all his experience, there’s so much he can teach me, so I’m soaking up as much of it as I can. I’ve got great sparring with guys like Conor Benn and Joe Cordina, which is important as we spur each other on,” he was quoted as saying.
Flynn-Dhanjal also revealed that the defensive approach of the opponents frustrates him.
“Obviously, at the beginning of your career, you’re boxing journeymen, who come in, tuck up tight and stay on the back foot. They are such tough guys, but because of the way they box, I haven’t been able to show my power yet,” he told the BBC. “It’s nice to get the wins and I’m growing and developing every time, but I look forward to boxing opponents who’ll come to have a proper fight – so I can really show what I can do.”
“I trust my ability and I’m aiming for the top. That’s what drives me. I would like to pick up some domestic belts first, but I believe I will be the first Sikh world champion,” the Indianorigin boxer added.