Vijender reaches No 2 in world rankings on Olympic medal's First anniversary

Exactlyu00a0a year on, boxer Vijender Kumar celebrates his Beijing bronze medal-winning feat with AIBA's world nou00a0 2 ranking

Life has come full circle for India's first Olympic medal-winning boxer Vijender Kumar.

Exactly a year ago yesterday, he realised his dream of an Olympic medal when he won his quarter-final bout against Ecuador's Carlos Gongora to enter the semi-finals and ensure himself at least a bronze (losing semi-finals are automatically awarded bronze medals). And a year later yesterday, Vijender accomplished yet another rare feat when he earned a career-high World No 2 spot in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) official rankings.

The Bhiwani boxer is well aware of the coincidence in the timing of his World No 2 ranking and the Olympic medal.

"I clearly remember it was on August 21 last year when I knew that I was definitely going to win an Olympic medal. I was celebrating after beating Gongora, not only because it was a tough fight that I had won, but also because I was already imagining myself on the podium receiving a medal. This ranking is like an anniversary gift," Vijender told MiD DAY yesterday.

Cuban World No 1
The 23-year-old Khel Ratna awardee, who also won bronze medals earlier this year at the European GP tourney in the Czech Republic and Asian Championships in China, is second to Olympic silver medallist Emilio Correa Bayeux of Cuba. And to cite another coincidence, it was Bayeux, who had ended Vijender's dream run in Beijing beating him in the semi-finals. Vijender lost that fight but worse still had his sincerity questioned by some, who felt that he went into the bout with a defensive strategy since he was already assured of a medal. "No one will take it easy in an Olympic semi-final because a silver or gold is obviously better than a bronze. I gave it my best but sadly it was not good enough," he clarified.

Vijender has yet another chance to smack his critics in the face with one of his trademark right hooks as he leads a nine-member Indian contingent to the World Boxing Championship in Milan, Italy this September.

"It will be a huge test for us. And though the World No 2 ranking will put extra pressure on me, I promise to give it my best shot or should I say punch," he signed off.