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Satish Kumar went into the ring on Sunday, despite being listed as probable due to his injury. The army man was not someone who was going to quit. His family did not want him to compete in the bout as he had already suffered a lot of injuries in the pre-quarters.
Once the doctors gave him clearance, the Indian pugilist went out and competed against Bakhodir despite carrying serious injuries. He lost the match but his lion-hearted display won the hearts of all the people watching the bout.
In an interview with PTI after the bout, Satish said:
"My wife had told me not to fight. My father also said that it is too much to watch me fight like this. That's not unexpected, family can't see you hurt. But then they understood that I wanted to do this."
What happened to Satish Kumar in the pre-quarters?
Satish Kumar faced Ricardo Brown in the pre-quarters of the Olympics. He got the better of the Jamaican pugilist. However, the Indian suffered some huge blows during that bout.
Check Out: Tokyo Olympics 2021 Schedule
It was reported that Kumar had 7 stitches on his chin and 6 on his forehead. However, the determination to compete on the biggest stage helped Satish keep that pain aside and step into the ring to face Bakhodir.
In his interview with PTI, Kumar said:
"My chin has seven stitches and my forehead has another six." He further added, "I knew I wanted to fight. Otherwise I would have lived with that regret of what if. Now I can probably be at peace and also probably a little content with myself that I gave my best."
What could be the road ahead for Satish Kumar?
Satish Kumar showed great spirit at the Olympics 2021. He came into the ring with stitches knowing that he would be facing the World No. 1. This itself explains the character of the grappler. He was the first Indian to compete in the men's superheavyweight category. Out of the 5 male boxers, only Satish Kumar went into the last 8 at the Olympics.
The Asian Games Bronze medalist still has a long way to go. He has proven that he is fearless and if he continues with such brave hearted performances, he can definitely be a contender for a medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
