When it comes to sports, famous rivalries are a big part of the package and add to the excitement of the experience. Every generation, every field has its own special divide and a passionate fan-following of each opponent.
Vijender Singh, fresh from his win at the WBO Asia Pacific Super in the middleweight category, probably did not expect an open challenge from boxing ace, Amir Khan. But that's what he has got, and we have the makings of a legendary rivalry on our hands.
Vijender had recently hinted at the possibility of a showdown against the British professional boxer. The win against Kerry Hope to clinch his professional title may have acted as a boost to his confidence. However, Khan has reacted to these comments by issuing a friendly and competitive warning to the 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist.
Also read: Vijender Singh says this win is about India and not about him
Khan began by congratulating Vijender on his remarkable achievement and at the same time warned him to not issue a challenge lightly. The more experienced Amir Khan has been a professional boxer since 2008 and is a silver medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Vijender obviously holds Amir Khan in high esteem. “Mine and Amir’s weight categories are different. So in case he increases his weight or I decrease mine then we can work it out. We are thinking about it, so let’s see. I hope that when that big fight happens, it happens in India only,” he has said.
Amir seemed to be thinking along similar lines when he tried his hand in the middleweight category and scheduled a match against the world champion Saul Canelo Alvarez. The match did not end well for him, but before his defeat, Amir had expressed a similar desire to schedule a fight against Vijender.
The match, whenever it takes place, promises to be quite a spectacle.
