Sumit Sangwan is the definition of bad luck. At the 2012 Olympics, then 19-year-old Sangwan lost his opening round in what commentators called a “daylight robbery”. He went to the 2014 Commonwealth Games with two rods holding his fractured left thumb together, and won a bout with a swollen hand before losing the quarterfinal. He recovered to win the 81kg gold medal at 2015 senior nationals along with the best boxer trophy, but went under the surgeon's knife to treat the thumb, now fractured twice. Another comeback led him to the Olympics qualifier in 2016 where he lost in the quarterfinals, but could have booked his flight to Rio had his opponent marched on to win gold. "He told me at the dinner table that he was going to withdraw. I rushed to my coach but there was no point because our federation was banned." Then in late 2017, he had his right elbow operated upon for the loose bone chips he had been boxing with for two years. Such a run would make anyone feel like they're cursed. “I met so many people in that time who would say jaadu-tona hua hai, kisi ne kuch kar diya hai. My mother took me to the village baba (people would say someone has done black magic)," says Sangwan, mustering a wry smile. “I'm sitting with a baba in this jhopdi, aag jali hui hai (a fire had been lit). When you're sad, people who want your good will resort to anything." For such a tormented soul, the gold medal at the senior nationals, his first in the 91kg category, came uncharacteristically easily. Sangwan's much-fancied opponent Naman Tanwar had to pull out of Thursday's title clash in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh due to shoulder trouble. Of course, Wednesday's semifinal compensated for the lack of hardships in the final. Sangwan was floored twice in the opening minutes of Wednesday's semifinal by Gaurav Chauhan of Services. That after the two knockdowns, the man from Karnal, Haryana managed to eke out a 3-2 win shows his heart, and the technical know-how. “I’d faced him twice before and won 5-0 both times," said Sangwan. "He comes out hard, but opens himself up. I knew that in the later rounds he will come down.” Once a top light-heavyweight, Sangwan moved up to the heavyweight division. "In 81kg, I was the tallest and always boxed according to that advantage," says the 6'3" Sangwan. "Now most people are of my height and some are taller. So the pattern of fighting, technique has changed." Now it is about the "time the mind and body takes to adjust to heavyweight punches." "Body jhel legi if it’s just four or five kilos. But 10 kilos ka fark hai," Sangwan adds. "When you get punched by a heavyweight, your body goes all the way back. And that's just the punch hitting your guard, imagine what will happen if it hits on the face. That confidence doesn't come automatically. It takes time to understand how to take the risk." Sangwan began 2016 with two losses to Naman Tanwar in the selection trials, the second for the Commonwealth Games. Earlier this year, he lost another trial bout for the Asian Championships to Tanwar. "I was doing well in the camp before, but every evening my temperature would be high. We didn't do a blood check, and by the time we tested it was full blown typohid. I took glucose, and won a bout but against Tanwar I was dizzy and couldn't see anything properly," Sangwan says, gauges the room and adds: "I know it seems like an excuse but the coach knew. It's just luck." Sangwan's sheepish laughs indicate the boxer knows how it sounds, but he assures the roller-coaster has been a hellish ride for the person on it. “I have cried alone in a room. I have worked so hard but saw others go in my place. My parents have been supportive but seeing my plight at home they'd go 'haath tudva ke mat aya kar'. So I used to stay with a friend in Sonipat who helped me out with food, laundry," says Sangwan. "I know people who have written me off. But I can't stop. Boxing is my happiness. Wake up in the morning, go to the ground and find your weaknesses, run and listen to coach's abuse and come back. This is happiness. Kabhi khoon nikalta hai, kabhi haddi tootti hai but yahi maza hai. (Sometimes you bleed, some times there are broken bones but it is fun).” Sangwan's lowest point would however bring tears to the eyes of connoisseurs of fine clothing. "My mummy called a priest and gave away my clothes. I have given a month's salary to these babas. I am buying these clothes from malls and she gives them baba. 4000 ki jeans pe jhadu-phook rahe hain," he laughs. "I told mummy 'Stop! Jo tootna hoga tootega." Results (All finals): 49kg: Vinod Tanwar (SSCB) bt Ajay Pendor (Mah) 4-1; 52kg: PL Prasad (SSCB) bt Ashish Insha (RSPB) 3-2; 57kg: Mohd. Hussamuddin (SSCB) bt Sachin Siwach (RSPB) 3-2; 60kg: Varinder Singh (RSPB) bt V.Durga Rao (SSCB) 3-2; 63kg: Shiva Thapa (Asm) bt Akash Sangwan (SSCB) 4-1; 69kg: Naveen Boora (SSCB) bt Jayesh Desai (Guj) K.O.-R1; 75kg: Ankit Khatana (Har) w.o. Rohit Tokas (RSPB); 81kg: Sachin Kumar (SSCB) bt Arshdeep Singh (Pun) 4-1; 91kg: Sumit Sangwan (Har) w.o. Naman Tanwar (RSPB) ; +91kg: Narender (SSCB) bt Krishna Sharma (AIP) RSC-I-R2.
