The young Korean boxer Kim Jung Joo, (Athens bronze medallist and double Asian gold winner in the 69kg category) hardly smiled during the press meet to announce the Challenger Fight Night, an event held under the aegis of IABF, set to take place at the Ansal Plaza amphitheatre on Sunday.The Korean pugilist saved it all for later. Sans the microphone, through his interpreter, he came across loud and clear, about his life, his visit to India and his views on his opponent the next day.Eleven years ago, at 13, he donned the boxing glove when his peers were still memorising their class lessons. The inspiration was his uncle who is a taekwondo exponent and his weighlifter cousin. But his reason for taking up his sport is explained in three simple words, ‘‘I love boxing.’’This is his second visit to India, the first being two years ago, for the Afro-Asian Games at Hyderabad. He won a bronze and doesn’t even remember his opponent. ‘‘I don’t remember who defeated me, but it was a good fight, he went on to win the gold,’’ he says.Joo would be fighting on Sunday against Vijender Singh, a player taller and slightly heavier than him, with a longer reach and home support. How does he plan to turn things around? ‘‘Koreans are small and that makes us faster in the ring. I have faced bigger-build opponents before, I will rely on speed and go in for the kill straightaway.’’For a man who is just 24, he has come a long way, aided by his local government and the 23 other players who train with him.
