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As India pins its hopes on the Kumars at the Olympics, Mahafreed Irani finds that the city’s boxing rings can sure do with some encouragement

It took a series of well-aimed punches and smart defences for Akhil, Jitender and Vijender Kumar to make it to the quarter finals of the Olympics. In the process, they’ve managed to stir enough conversation about professional boxing as a sport. Although boxing lingo like jabbing, bobbing and weaving are not as commonly referred to as cricket’s doosras and sixes, the city’s boxers are hopeful that their sport can be just as popular.

President of the Maharashtra Amateur Boxing Association, Homi Dhondy agrees. The sport needs a celeb face. But looking at the way the Kumars are performing, many youngsters are going to take up boxing professionally even if it doesn’t have one.
Dhondy recollects the excitement around the 1990 World Cup which was held at the Bombay Gymkhana. “Although we only won a single bronze at the event, everyone wanted to be a pugilist after watching the live matches of such grand scale.”

Lalit Dengda manager coach of the Mumbai-based South Paw Boxing Club is excited. “I have seen Akhil perform live when he was with me in a boxing camp in the year 1998. He has matured now and I am proud of him,” he says.

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