When Holyfield came looking for Vijender
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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| Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Kumar (file photo) |
Beijing gave Vijender Singh the most cherished moments of his fledgling career but the one thing the Olympic bronze medallist missed out there was a chance to meet American boxing legend Evander Holyfield, who came looking for him after his semifinal bout.
"Holyfield came looking for me after my semifinal loss (to Cuban Emilio Correa Bayeaux) but I had left the arena by then," Vijender, India's first Olympic medallist in boxing, told. "Later I was told that he praised my performance, which was very nice of him and a great honour for me," the middle weight pugilist added.
A former world heavyweight champion, Holyfield, who was also seen at bantam weight boxer Akhil Kumar's quarterfinal bout against Moldovan Veaceslav Gojan, is now a recruiter for professional boxing in the USA.
Vijender, however, is not keen on turning professional. "I did give it a thought some time back but I am not interested anymore. I am focused on amateur boxing and I have no plans to turn pro," he said.
The 22-year-old said he would cut down on his appearances in the National Championships to be in shape for international events. "Since I have become a DSP with the Haryana government, I can't participate in the Nationals this year but even otherwise, I would not be seen very often in the national events," he revealed.
The dapper six-footer has been flooded with modelling offers after his Olympic success and is already a youth icon for a leading insurance company. "But I am tired of telling people that my first love is boxing. I am a boxer first but unfortunately my modelling assignments have invited criticism from some quarters, which I think is baseless," he said.
Just days after becoming a national hero with his Olympic medal, Vijender had landed in a soup for posing with a cigarette during a magazine photo-shoot. And wary of inviting similar trouble, he refused to pose with a 'hookah' at his home in Kaluwas village in Bhiwani. "Who knows, this might also snowball into a controversy and people will say that I am setting a wrong precedent for the youngsters."
Another irritant for Vijender is the never-ending queries about Bollywood star Bipasha Basu and her much-publicised offer to go on a date with him had he won the gold in Beijing. "I wonder why I keep getting asked about it even though I have answered the same question over and over again? It is irritating, I am sick of it," he said.
But despite all this, Vijender says he has thoroughly enjoyed the adulation that has been showered upon by him by the nation. "It is humbling," is how he summed up the experience so far. Although he wants to better his performance in 2012 London Olympics, Vijender said he is keen to take a break from boxing for now.
"It is time to have fun right now after all the hard work. I shall be back in action but give me a break. Let me savour the moment," he says.
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