World champion boxer MC Mary Kom's five star feat may never be matched
World champion boxeru00a0MC Mary Kom's five star feat may never be matched
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| Woman on top: India's five-time World Champion boxer MC Mary Kom |
Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom would have received hordes of tributes, but none could be as rich as this one. India's only Olympic medal-winning boxer Vijender Singh and national boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu believe that it won't be surprising if no other Indian ufffd male or female ufffd is able to achieve what the country's leading lady of boxing has. Mary Kom clinched her fifth consecutive World Boxing Championship title in Barbados on Saturday out-punching her Romanian opponent Steluta Duta in a one-sided affair to prevail 16-6 scoreline in the light fly-weight final (48 kg) category.
"Mary Kom's achievement is a very proud moment for not only us boxers, but for every Indian. And winning a world title five times in a row in an unimaginable feat," Vijender told MiD DAY from Patiala, where he is training at the National Institute of Sport for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
In fact, the ace pugilist, who hails from India's boxing hub Bhiwani in Haryana, said he is looking forward to heading home, not because he is missing his family, but to see the after-effect of Mary Kom's success in his hometown. "Bhiwani has been known for its male boxers but I'm sure the next time I'm home, I will see a lot more girls taking to the ring ufffd thanks to Mary Kom," added Vijender. Coach Sandhu simply could not stop praising 'Magnificent Mary'. "Mary Kom's feat stands out for two reasons. Firstly, she made a comeback after giving birth to two kids. And secondly, she fought in a different weight category (48 kg) this year, as compared to the 46 kg group she was previously in. hats off to her," said Sandhu, easily Indian boxing's most successful coach given the fact that our pugilists have won over 100 international medals in the last couple of years under his guidance.
Vijender said: "I've been a bronze medallist at the Worlds, so I know the kind of competition. Each and every competitor wants to be a world champion and she has won it five times in a row. Though I aim to be a world champion too, I think it would be next-to-impossible for any Indian male boxer to do what she has done."
Sandhu said: "Mary Kom is a very strong-willed fighter. There aren't many fighters in the country, who can match up to her will. So I won't be surprised if her feat remains unmatched."
