One of India’s last flickering hopes of bringing back a medal from Rio 2016 is Vikas Krishan, who is due to compete against Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan in the quarter-final of the 75 kg category in a little more than an hour (3:30 AM IST) . If Vikas manages to continue his winning streak and beat the Uzbek, he will be assured of a medal of some colour.
Surveying the rest of the boxers left in the competition, it can also be said that if Vikas does manage to overcome Melikuziev, then a gold medal is on the horizon too. Melikuziev is the most decorated and the most technically strong among the eight boxers left. Cuba’s Arlen Lopez is another strong contender, on the other side of the draw.
Melikuziev is a former Youth Olympics and Youth World champion in 2014 and 2015 Doha World Championship silver medallist. Also, he beat Vikas at the Asian Championship in Thailand when they had an encounter last year.
Vikas had said after winning his pre-quarter match against Onder Sipal, "He (Melikuziev) is the toughest in the group. Mark my words, if I am able to defeat him, I will return home with a gold. I won't take a silver or bronze. I will return empty-handed or the gold medal. Gold is assured if I get past him."
"He's a bit powerful and a bit heavier in weight. But he does not have a height advantage. He has the power and stamina, he is young," Vikas said.
The Uzbek is four years younger than Vikas, who himself was the 2011 World Championship bronze medallist and also the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist. Vikas will be the senior of the two in the ring on Monday night, but his movement and defence has been very good at Rio 2016. He insists that he is poised to extract revenge on Melikuziev for the defeat last year.
"I was not in form then at the Asian Championships, while he was at his peak. I've picked my rhythm now."
Vikas has been unstoppable in Rio so far, rolling over both his opponents with ease. Unlike his past two opponents though, Melikuziev, like Vikas, is a southpaw. And like Vikas, the Uzbek is in fine form, as seen in his last match. In the pre-quarter, he made Australian Jason Lewis look like a fish out of water in the ring with his relentless attacks.
Vikas is up against his biggest challenge yet at the 2016 Olympics, but if he can put on a show of something special, the Haryana policeman will have given the nation the most precious gift possible on a Tuesday morning.
In the 2012 London Olympics, Vikas had lost to American Errol Spence in controversial circumstances – the Indian boxer had been initially adjudged the winner before Spence appealed against the judgment and the decision was overturned on technical grounds. Will there be sweet redemption four years later?
