By IANS,
New Delhi: Boxer Suranjoy Singh, who won gold at the prestigious AIBA President’s Cup, returned home to a rousing welcome Sunday. He said the title has motivated him to win more medals for India.
One of the country’s brightest talent in the boxing ring, Suranjoy won the Asian Championship in Zhuhai, China, earlier this year but made a first-round exit in the World Championship. The gold in President’s Cup, therefore, he feels is quite resassuring.
“Failing at the World Championship was a big learning lesson for me. I could not do justice to my talent at Milan. But I was determined to prove myself. I am happy to win this gold now,” Suranjoy, who won the title in the flyweight (51 kg) category, told IANS.
Post Milan loss, Suranjoy seriously reflected on his game and worked on curbing his all-attacking style. That, national coach Gurbux Singh Sandhu feels, made the difference.
“Now he is using his brain,” Sandhu told IANS.
“Earlier, he used only power in his boxing but now he takes a measure of his opponent and knows when to attack and defend. He is a fine talent and it’s a great achievement to win a medal at such an elite level against top boxers. It’s unmatchable.”
The 22-year-old Manipuri was in brilliant form throughout the tournament which had participation through invitation only to the top international boxers from Asia, America, Africa, Europe and Oceania.
“This is my best performance so far because the tournament had world class players,” says Suranjoy, who beat Olympic bronze medallist Vicenzo Picardi of Italy in the quarterfinals.
“I had played him before and so I was well-prepared to face him.”
In the final, Suranjoy out-punched Frenchman Nordine Oubaali 8-1.
“It has been a good year for me. Now I am looking to earn medals for the country in the Commonwealth Championship and the Commonwelath Games next year.”
A fan of Mike Tyson, Suranjoy took to the sport watching his elder brother box. But his brother had to leave boxing after an accident in 2006.
“My family was opposed to my boxing in the beginning. They never wanted another of their sons to take up the sport. And I was good in football.”
“My brother achieved success in boxing at the international level. He told me that success in individual sport can fetch more laurels. I thought that boxing can give me all that I want in life,” says Suranjoy.
“Now my parents are very supportive.”