India’s Singh turns pro
Malaysian fighter gifted chance
NEW DELHI, June 29, (RTRS): India’s Olympic hero Vijender Singh has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Queensberry Promotions and turned professional, the boxer announced on Monday.
Singh’s middleweight bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics helped raise the game’s profile in the country and the 29-year-old has since been the face of Indian boxing.
“I’m excited to turn pro and looking forward to the new chapter of my life,” Singh, who was expected to represent India at the Rio Olympics next year, said in a statement.
“I want to train hard and perform for my country at the global level... My immediate goal will be to work hard and make a good boxing record in the next year or so.”
The boxer from the north Indian state of Haryana will now base himself in Manchester and train under Lee Beard, who worked with British boxer Ricky Hatton.
Singh will fight a minimum six times in the first year, the statement added.
Malaysian fighter Muhamad Farkhan Mohd Haron almost threw in the towel two years ago but is now dreaming of a world title after being gifted a two-year training stint at the Wild Card Boxing Club by a generous royal.
The opportunity to train at the world famous gym in Los Angeles, owned by Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, comes courtesy of Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, a member of the Johor Royal family in Malaysia, who agreed to sponsor the stint.
Farkhan, who had impressed the prince by knocking out former Asian champion Hendrik Aritonang in a March cruiserweight contest, will now have the chance to train with world champions such as Filipino Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.