No doubting Thomas

Suranjoy’s eye has been on the 22-year-old Thomas ever since the latter was eight years old. The nephew picked up the boxing gloves on Suranjoy’s insistence. “It was Suranjoy who introduced me to the sport. For the first eight years of my career I was learning the sport at home and all my basics,right from the foot movement to the initial 1-2 combination are taught by him,” he says.

After his early support for his nephew,Suranjoy’s regular inputs faded as he became a regular member of the national camp in Patiala. It was only last year,when Thomas became part of the national camp himself,that the two got together again.

“It helps to have a senior in the camp,” says Thomas. “Since I am very new to the camp,Suranjoy always helps me out with tips on training and also diet. Earlier my style was very agressive but Suranjoy advised me to focus on defense as well. After I joined the camp,I adapted my style. While I now box on the counter,it is a counter-punching style while I am on the offensive,” he said.

In addition to tips on strategy,Suranjoy also asks Thomas to stay motivated. “He told me that I cannot give a few good performances and then fade away. Because Manoj Kumar will be competing in the Olympics in the 64kg category,I must look forward to the 2016 Olympics. So he tells me that I have to stay motivated so that people remember my name at that point of time,” says Thomas.

Of course there are certain disadvantages to having a top boxer in the national camp as a family member. “He may be only four years older than me but he is much senior to me in terms of performances and even as family. When I am in the camp he asks me to wash his clothes and I also have to clean his kit,” says Thomas with a smile.

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