Ringside view

“My best memory from those Games is the crowd support. People screaming your name from the stands definitely has an effect on a boxer’s performance,” he says as he fixes his shoes before a training session. That support is one big reason he,along with his fellow pugilists,can’t wait for the Commonwealth Boxing Championships to get underway. After all,it is the first international event in India since three boys from Bhiwani put Indian boxing on the map at the Olympics.

The 12 months after Beijing have been especially good for the boxers in terms of international achievements — with Suranjoy Singh becoming the Asian champion in Zuhai in May,2009 (a feat achieved by an Indian boxer after a gap of 15 years) and Vijender ending the medal drought at the world championships in Milan.

However,it’s the next few months that could change the profile of the sport in the country: with India hosting at least four international events including the Commonwealth Boxing Championships (CWBC),starting from Wednesday,and the Commonwealth Games later in the year,boxers,and administrators realise that this is an opportunity to draw people to the ring side.

“A lot has changed since my medal but what has not changed is the face of boxing,” says Vijender. “Boxers such as Suranjay,Jai Bhagwan and Nanao Singh have done well but if you ask an average boxing fan,they can’t put a face to their names. The fact that we participate abroad fails to attract audiences here.”

This,he feels,is a chance that needs to be grabbed with both hands. “Recently,we went to China to take part in the Champions of Champions event and the way the event revolved around individual boxers was tremendous. They had smoke rings and cheerleaders at the event,and even the foreign boxers were projected as fierce competitors. At the world championships in Milan,the AIBA made sure that the new rankings were out days before the championship and the entire tournament revolved around those.”

Beijing quarter-finalist Akhil Kumar,having just finished a sparring session,agrees whole-heartedly. “The mindset of young boxers is changing. When we started boxing,we saw it as a means to get a good job and a living. But a lot has changed after the Beijing Olympics. Boxing has come under the limelight and one particular change which I can sense is that people have been following the boxing team. We always have a calendar and play in various AIBA events through out the year. Even if we lose,there is some anticipation in the air,” says Kumar.

Another way this will help,feels Asian silver-medallist Jai Bhagwan,is in educating the fans. “An average cricket fan knows about the Pontings,Laras and Flintoffs but even a staunch supporter of Indian boxing does not know too much about foreign stars such as James DeGale or Vincenzo Picradi,” he says.

New avenues

While the players are looking ahead with hope,the administrators are getting into the act. Last month,the game’s governing body,the Indian Boxing Federation,inked a four-year deal with Percept D’mark,who will be responsible for roping in sponsors for the upcoming event that will see the participation of 131 boxers from 19 countries including Scotland,England,South Africa,New Zealand and Ghana.

“We have to look at a few things first before developing the sport as a brand,” says Manuj Aggarwal,chief operating officer,Percept. “The first element in the development is performance in the international arena and we have been doing well on that front. The way any sport develops is how it is followed on the ground and in the media. The amateur boxing format is not television-friendly and we have to concentrate on how to add a special experience around the sport.”

Another problem,he feels,is the format: four rounds of two minutes each,which has made the sport faster than ever. “Boxing has very little going for it in terms of attracting audiences to a stadium or even on television. Other sports last for more than two hours or even a day,but a boxing bout gets over in 10-12 minutes.

“One thing I noticed while travelling abroad,especially during the Moscow World Cup,was the manner in which they slotted the home boxers’ bouts together. That created a collective period of more than three hours where the local audience was completely glued,” says Kumar.

Like family

FOR the boxers themselves,the focus remains within the ring,and the fact that they prepare and travel together has helped. Jai Bhagwan says,“We have ten categories in boxing and whenever we enter the ring,it feels like a ten-member team. Boxing is an individual sport but in a way,it is also a team sport. We practise together,spar together and during a bout,cheer and give inputs to our colleagues from outside the ring.”

The camaraderie is quite evident. As the two-hour long training session is about to conclude,Suranjoy draws something out of his training bag and passes it around to his fellow boxers. It’s a small newspaper pouch,with Suranjoy’s photograph on it. “I found this last week when I went to buy groundnuts from a local vendor,” he says,as everyone around bursts into impromptu laughter.

“It’s not money that drives us,only performance. So whether it is a huge promotional poster or a photograph on a paper bag,it’s the same for us as long as we’re winning.”