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It's been almost 3 years since the amateur Indian boxers have made any serious impact on the world stage. Except for the brilliant gold fest by the junior women boxers at the AIBA Youth World Championships, and Sonia Lather's spirited performance in the senior category of the same, India hasn't hit hard in amateur boxing.
Much is to be blamed on internal tussles, star boxer Vijender's switch to professional boxing, absence of a strong administration and rampant corruption, which took its toll on Rio Olympics, where not only India faced the humiliation of no female boxer managing to making the cut, but also returned empty-handed from the event for the first time since Athens 2004, the highest performance being that of middleweight boxer and ex-junior world champion Vikas Krishan Yadav's stint till the quarterfinals.
However, not all is over. With the formation of BFI (Boxing Federation of India) 2018 is replete with high power action promised by the sport this year. This is also a make or break moment for the Indian boxers, especially with the likes of MC Mary Kom, Vikas Krishan etc., who need to prove their credentials quick to be even considered as a worthy potential for a podium finish at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, 2020.
The year for the Indian team will start with the Commonwealth Games, to be held from 4th to 15th of April at Gold Coast City, Australia. This is the first significant test for the Indian team, considering that the next major challenge, i.e. the 18th Asian Games, to be held in Jakarta, is months away.
The young guns of Indian boxing will have a further tryst with glory when they shall compete at the 3rd Youth Olympics, to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6th to 18th October. For the women boxers, especially the five-time world champion and Olympic medalist M C Mary Kom, the golden opportunity to make themselves count will come in the final showdown, i.e. the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships, which shall be in November at New Delhi, India, which shall be hosting the championship after a long span of 12 years.
We wish the Indian boxers all the best for the upcoming year, and hope that they rise and shine the way they did from Beijing 2008.
