A record eight boxers qualifying for the London Olympics is a clear indicator of the phenomenal growth of the sport in India, with the pugilists taking the country to new heights, but a lot more needs to be done, particularly at the grassroots level, to become a world power, chief coach Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu says.

“I have been a coach since 1993 and it’s been a gradual improvement for Indian boxing. No one gave boxing a chance or took note of it at the earlier Olympics. The sport has grown because of the hard work of the boys and the coaching staff, who for years have worked tirelessly,” Sandhu told IANS in an interview.