BFI to invite elite Asian boxers to train with young Indian pugilists

Boxers from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will help out Indian youngsters.

With an aim to develop youth and junior boxers and provide them with more exposure opportunities and quality training, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Wednesday announced that they will be inviting Asian powerhouse countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to India to train and play tournaments with Indian youth and junior boxers.

The announcement was made during BFI’s felicitation event in New Delhi of the medal winners from the recently concluded 2022 ASBC Asian Youth & Junior Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan where the Indian boxers clinched a whooping 39 medals, including 15 gold.

“I congratulate each medal winner for their achievements at the Youth & Junior Asian Championships. I’m confident that playing against top boxers from the leading Asian countries will give them exposure. They have shown their potential with strong performances and these achievements promise a good future for Indian boxing,” BFI President Ajay Singh said at the felicitation event which was also attended by Sandip Pradhan, DG SAI and Asian champion Pooja Rani as they interacted with the boxers and encouraged them.

Alongside quality training with boxers from top Asian countries, BFI is also planning to conduct a junior edition of the India Open in order to encourage the next generation of boxers. “We are glad to see BFI taking efforts in developing youth and junior boxers. SAI will support them in all possible ways if BFI loops in other Asian leading boxing nations for tournaments and training.

"It was great to see our young boxers performing so brilliantly at the Asian Championships and I hope they continue bringing medals for the country,” said Sandip Pradhan, DG SAI.

Indian junior and youth teams claimed second and third positions respectively in the medals table as the prestigious continental tournament witnessed a strong competition in presence of 352 boxers from 21 countries including India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Six-time world champion veteran boxer Mary Kom and Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary, Sports also sent their best wishes to the young boxers.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.