‘Will put him in his place’, Vijender counter punches
Vijender Singh unleashed verbal punches on Friday ahead of his biggest challenge in a nascent professional boxing career, the defence of his WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight belt against Francis Cheka here on December 17.
The Tanzanian Intercontinental Super Middleweight champion threatened to pummel Vijender to pulp and end his career featuring victories in all his seven bouts, six of them knockouts or technical KOs.
Vijender, the 2008 Beijing Olympics middleweight bronze medallist, won this belt by defeating Australia’s Kerry Hope in Delhi in July. He will look to ride on home support at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex here.
Currently preparing at his base in Manchester with trainer Lee Beard, Vijender warned that the Tanzanian was in for a surprise, even an early knockout. “I’ve to win and win in good fashion, so that means a knockout,” the 30-year-old said. “I don’t know how far he is willing to go, how much (punishment) he is willing to take. I am very well aware of the kind of challenge that lies ahead of me.”
“I will hit Vijender hard on his face, he will never think of professional boxing again,” Cheka had said.
Vijender was confident he can take charge early. “He is going to have the answers in the first 2-3 rounds. Cheka thinks he is fighting nobody. I have just started my professional boxing career and I already have six knockouts, (but) it’s not that easy to get all the wins in one go. I will show Cheka his place. He can’t come to my country and challenge me for my own title. I think he doesn’t know about me very well.”