India's Greatest Boxers of all Time
The nation's rise to the top of boxing has been nothing short of extraordinary, but it has not been an easy ride. We look at some of the greatest boxing stars to come out of India.
While many believe professional boxing is centred on the European scene, India is becoming a global power in pugilism. The nation's rise to the top of boxing has been nothing short of extraordinary, but it has not been an easy ride.
India's Boxing History
India's boxing origins can be dated back to ancient times. Research suggests that mentions of the sport "mushti-yuddha" can be found in ancient texts, including the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. Mushti-yuddha was a sport that loosely translates to "War of Fists", and is accepted as the first evidence of boxing in India.
However, Indian boxing was only taken seriously in 1925 due to the establishment of the Bombay Presidency Amateur Boxing Federation.
Boxing gradually developed in India over the succeeding decades. Following India's independence from British rule, the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation was established in 1949.
In 1950, the national boxing championships in India were held at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. This was the first city to formally hold boxing tournaments in India.
Since then, Indian boxing has gone from strength to strength, with some notable figures putting Indian boxing on the global main stage.
Below, we look at some of the biggest boxing stars derived from India.
Mary Kom
Mary Kom is a female professional boxer deriving form the Churachandpur district of India. She is the ONLY woman to secure six World Amateur Boxing Championship titles. In addition to this accolade, Kom is the only female boxer to clinch a medal in each of the first seven World Championships, and the only boxer (male or female), to amass eight World Championship medals.
As well as being a revered name in India, Mary Kom has fought many opponents across the globe in their back cards. Here are the most noteworthy integrational achievements:
International Titles:
| Year | Medal | Weight (kg) | Competition | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Silver (2nd) | 48 | AIBA Women's World Championships | Scranton, USA |
| 2002 | Gold (1st) | 45 | AIBA Women's World Championships | Antalya, Turkey |
| 2002 | Gold (1st) | 45 | Witch Cup | Pécs, Hungary |
| 2003 | Gold (1st) | 46 | Asian Women's Championships | Hisar, India |
| 2004 | Gold (1st) | 41 | Women's World Cup | Tønsberg, Norway |
| 2005 | Gold (1st) | 46 | Asian Women's Championships | Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| 2005 | Gold (1st) | 46 | AIBA Women's World Championships | Podolsk, Russia |
| 2006 | Gold (1st) | 46 | AIBA Women's World Championships | New Delhi, India |
| 2006 | Gold (1st) | 46 | Venus Women's Box Cup | Vejle, Denmark |
| 2008 | Gold (1st) | 46 | AIBA Women's World Championships | Ningbo, China |
| 2008 | Silver (2nd) | 46 | Asian Women's Championships | Guwahati, India |
| 2009 | Gold (1st) | 46 | Asian Indoor Games | Hanoi, Vietnam |
| 2010 | Gold (1st) | 48 | AIBA Women's World Championships | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| 2010 | Gold (1st) | 46 | Asian Women's Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| 2010 | Bronze (3rd) | 51 | Asian Games | Guangzhou, China |
| 2011 | Gold (1st) | 48 | Asian Women's Cup | Haikou, China |
| 2012 | Gold (1st) | 41 | Asian Women's Championships | Ulan Bator, Mongolia |
| 2012 | Bronze (3rd) | 51 | Summer Olympics | London, UK |
| 2014 | Gold (1st) | 51 | Asian Games | Incheon, South Korea |
| 2017 | Gold (1st) | 48 | Asian Women's Championships | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
| 2018 | Gold (1st) | 45–48 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia |
| 2018 | Gold (1st) | 45–48 | AIBA Women's World Championships | New Delhi, India |
| 2019 | Bronze (3rd) | 51 | AIBA Women's World Championships | Ulan-Ude, Russia |
At the beginning of this year, Kom reluctantly announced her retirement. Due to the International Boxing Association's rules, boxers can fight at the elite level until they are 40 years old.
"I have the hunger still but unfortunately because of the age limit it is over I cannot compete in any competition. I want to play more but I am being forced to quit (due to the age limit). I have to retire. I have achieved everything in my life," Mary said.
Vijender Singh
Vijender Singh is a boxer from Haryana who has enjoyed great success in both amateur and professional boxing. From humble beginnings, Singh's father worked as a bus driver, working around the clock to support Vijender in his education and professional endeavours.
In 2008, Vijender Singh became the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal. This marked the beginning of a long and lustrous career.
Boxing Match Records
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, Time | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Win | 13–1 | Eliasu Sulley | KO | 2 (6), 2:07 | 17 Aug 2022 | Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium, Raipur, India |
| 13 | Loss | 12–1 | Artysh Lopsan | TKO | 5 (8), 1:09 | 19 Mar 2021 | Majestic Pride Casino, Goa, India |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Charles Adamu | UD | 8 | 22 Nov 2019 | Caesars Palace Dubai, Dubai, UAE |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Mike Snider | KO | 4 (8), 1:23 | 13 Jul 2019 | Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, USA |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Ernest Amuzu | UD | 10 | 23 Dec 2017 | Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium, Jaipur, India |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Zulpikar Maimaitiali | UD | 10 | 5 Aug 2017 | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, Mumbai, India |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Francis Cheka | TKO | 3 (10), 1:36 | 17 Dec 2016 | Thyagaraj Sports Complex, New Delhi, India |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Kerry Hope | UD | 10 | 16 Jul 2016 | Thyagaraj Sports Complex, New Delhi, India |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Andrzej Soldra | TKO | 3 (8), 2:00 | 13 May 2016 | Macron Stadium, Bolton, England |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Matiouze Royer | TKO | 5 (6), 1:10 | 30 Apr 2016 | Copper Box Arena, London, England |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Alexander Horvath | KO | 3 (6), 1:02 | 12 Mar 2016 | Echo Arena, Liverpool, England |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Samet Hyuseinov | TKO | 2 (4), 0:35 | 19 Dec 2015 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Dean Gillen | KO | 1 (4), 3:06 | 7 Nov 2015 | National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Sonny Whiting | TKO | 3 (4), 2:08 | 10 Oct 2015 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England |
Laishram Sarita Devi
Laishram Sarita Devi is a female boxer from India. Born in 1982, Sarita Devi derives from Manipur in northeast of India. She famously credits Muhammad Ali as her inspiration to turn pro in 2000.
In 2021, Sarita Devi represented India at the Asian Boxing Championships held in Bangkok. She left the competition with a silver medal.
She catapulted into the top ranks of the sport and in 2009 she was given the Arjuna award. This is a symbol of hard work, dedication and concentration in Hinduism.
Akhil Kumar
Akhil Kumar, born on March 27th, 1981, is an Indian boxer famed for winning numerous international and national boxing awards.
Akhil Kumar's Achievements
| Year | Event | Medal | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 6th YMCA Junior International Championship | Gold | - | First international competition |
| 2001 | International Invitational Championship, Russia | Gold | - | |
| 2003 | - | Gold | Flyweight | Defeated Vilitio M Payla (Php) 20-16 |
| 2004 | 1st AIBA Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament | Silver | - | Qualified for Athens Olympics, lost in the first round |
| 2005 | 4th Commonwealth Federation Championships | Gold | 54 kg | Defeated Bongani Mahalangu 18-17 in the final |
| 2006 | Melbourne Commonwealth Games | Gold | Bantamweight 54 kg | Defeated Bruno Julie in the final |
| 2008 | Beijing Olympics | - | Bantamweight 54 kg | Reached quarterfinals, defeating World Champion Sergey Vodopyanov |
| 2008 | AIBA World Cup, Moscow | Bronze | - | Defeated Marcel Schinder in the quarterfinals |
| 2012 | London Olympics | - | - | Ruled out due to injury, failed to reduce weight for Asian Continental Olympic qualification |
Additional Awards
| Award | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Best Boxer Award | 3 times |
| Gold Medals | 12 |
| Silver Medals | 1 |
| Bronze Medals | 4 |
In 2005, the Indian government honoured Kumar with the Arjuna Award for his accomplishments in international boxing. In March 2017, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports appointed Akhil Kumar, along with Mary Kom, as "national observers" for boxing.
Betting on Boxing in India
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