The three-member Indian boxing contingent for the 2016 Rio Olympics will carry huge expectations when they hit the boxing ring next week. The contingent comprises Shiva Thapa in bantam weight (52-kg), Manoj Kumar in light welterweight (64-kg) and Vikas Krishan (75-kg) in middleweight. Of course, this is a small boxing contingent compared to the eighth-member squad (seven in men and one in women) at the 2012 London Olympics.
The stricter Olympic qualifying norms have been a ‘big factor’ for India fielding a smaller boxing contingent this time around. Sample the case of Shiva Thapa – he had to box in the qualifying tournament despite being the 2015 World Championship bronze medal. How about Laishram Devendro Singh? The Manipuri won bronze medals in both the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in China and Azerbaijjan, yet he could not find an Olympic berth; he was also the quarterfinalist of the 2012 Olympics.
“With a bit of luck, India could have fielded some more boxers. Sumit Sangwan would have qualified if the Kazakshtan boxer had not given a walkover after the latter had made the cut from an earlier Olympic qualifying event – the same happened with MC Mary Kom,” says former national boxing selection committee chairman Gopal Devang.
The 41-year-old Pune-based pugilist, who is a two-time Asian Games bronze medallist (won bronze medals in 1986 and 1990 Asian Games), has lofty hopes from the Rio-bound boxing contingent. “Both Shiva Thapa and Vikas Krishan should be strong medal contenders. Of course, Manoj Kumar is in the best form of his life and he can always spring a surprise in Rio,” Devang exudes hope.
The Arjuna Awardee made a telling point of how Devendro Singh missed the Rio flight. “You should watch his semifinal bout against Spain’s Samuel Carmona in the Olympic Qualifying Tourney in Azerbaijan if you happen to get hold of that video. Devendro was the clear winner, but the Spaniard was declared the winner,” he makes a fair point.
Rewind to his playing days, the Shiv Chatrapati Awardee regretfully recalls how ‘other elements’ had their say in him being denied a gold at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. “Boxing in the light middleweight (71-kg) category, I lost to China’s Wang Yawei in the semifinal, who lost to Pakistan’s Abrar Hussain in the gold medal bout. The then President of the International Boxing Association, Anwar Chowdhry was from Pakistan, and he did everything possible to stop an Indian from winning a gold medal,” he signs off with a bout of remorse.
