He stepped into the Olympic boxing ring in 2008 and when he stepped out, Vijender Singh had changed the destiny of Indian boxing. Not only did he bring home the first-ever Olympic medal by an Indian boxer, but he also managed to get many girls talking about boxing because of his chocolate boy good looks. Today, after seven years in the ring, he’s turning the tables again. Vijender sent shock waves coursing through the country when he recently announced his decision of turning pro, becoming the first ever Indian boxer to do so.
Ask him why now, and he laughs and says, “Why not? It’s not a crime. For over 15 years, I have played all the tournaments. There is no one from India who has made a mark in the professional boxing arena and I want to do so.” He does, however, admit that it won’t be easy. “It’s going to be a struggle but it’s all about hard work. I’m ready to give my 100 per cent to the training. I had spent 10 days with the trainer and the partners in UK and I know the effort I have to put in. I’m not saying I’m going to be a superstar in the field, but this is a start,” he says.
From shifting base to UK to giving up on the benefits of being home, the boxer knows that it will be tough. “My lifestyle is going to change completely. The weather, the food, everything is different there. There will be so much more fighting now, and so many more cuts, bruises and blood. But I’m prepared for it,” he affirms.
While national dailies and television channels continue to question his capability, Vijender has chosen to turn to his greatest strength at this time. “My family is my strength. I explained everything to my wife and she said it’s not going to be easy. But yes, she was convinced about my capabilities. I’m always travelling and I don’t have much time to spend with my family, maybe that’s the one regret I have. But whenever I have time, I come back home to my wife who is a software engineer in Gurgaon, and my son Aabir who’s going to turn two in August. He is learning something new everyday and I feel that I have been missing out on all of those things,” he rues.
The boxer is used to the spotlight being on him and is no stranger to controversies. He does, therefore, already have a trick to find his calm in the chaos. He shares, “I just switch off my phone. If you are on the right path, it’s going to be all right in the end.” From the ring to the silver screen or the ramp, Vijender has always pushed his boundaries. Ask him how he manages it all and he says with a laugh, “Singh is always king! It’s all about giving your 100 per cent. I don’t want to have any regrets. At the end of my life, I shouldn’t have any wishes left.
I want to take up all the opportunities I get.” After he hit the headlines for his medals or for his appearances at events, it was only a matter of time before Bollywood came knocking at his door. “Being in Bollywood is big. I just love being on screen. There are so many aspects to acting. There were days when I would go from my boxing camp straight to the sets,” he recalls.
While many may think Bollywood was an obvious choice, for this young man it was a childhood dream. “When I was younger and training for boxing, I used to go around telling my coaches, dekhna main ek din bada actor banunga. They used to laugh at me. And then, during Fugly promotions, when we went around the country, I met the same people and told them that my dream really did come true,” he shares.
His stint on the reality show Roadies too, he claims, was an amazing experience. “I love doing these youth-oriented shows. Contrary to popular belief, they aren’t scripted at all,” he asserts. He also completed his police training recently and is glad that he didn’t miss out on his duties. From being a boy from a village who barely knew much about the glamour industry to being noticed for his style quotient, Vijender has come a long way. But before his pro debut in September or October, he takes a pause to look back and says, “From looking up to so many others, I have become an idol myself for so many, but I have always seen myself as a common man. It’s been a long journey for me.”
