New Delhi: In what would come as a massive shot in the arm for Indian boxing, the promising duo of Shiva Thapa and Sumit Sangwan has signed up for Team USA in the World Series of Boxing, making them the first from the country to compete for a foreign outfit in the semi-professional event.
Shiva (56kg) and Sumit (81kg) were both quarterfinalists at the October World Championships in Azerbaijan and their names were among those forwarded to WSB Competition Manager Mariana Caballero by their sports management firm -- Anglian Medal Hunt Company.
"Caballero sent their details to all the 12 franchises and American outfit USA Knockouts got back to us, showing interest in Shiva and Sumit. They will now be competing for them for the next two months. They are expected to be in Miami by January 6 or 7," Anglian Medal Hunt's CEO Maneesh Bahuguna said.
Both Shiva and Sumit have done exceptionally well, winning gold medals in the Asian Olympic qualifiers to be among the youngest to participate in the London Olympics last year.
All of 19 then, Shiva, in fact, was the youngest boxer from India to qualify for the mega-event before he reasserted his growing stature with an Asian Championships gold medal this year.
It would be a massive opportunity for the duo and a re-entry of sorts for India in the tournament after the country lost its WSB franchise last year due to the pullout of Mumbai Fighters owing to financial crunch.
"Nervous, excited, under pressure, it's all rolled into one right now. I am eager to go out there and perform to the best of my ability. It will be tough but would be quite a learning experience," Shiva, a former Youth Olympics silver-medallist, told PTI.
"It will be difficult no doubt but this stint will harden us and make us better boxers. We only stand to gain from it," added Sumit, also 20.
