MUMBAI: Vijender Singh, the face of Indian professional boxing, has signed a multi-year agreement with Top Rank, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced on Tuesday.
The development follows on from Top Rank confirming on 15th November that it had signed India’s top amateur boxer Vikas “The Indian Tank” Krishan, to a multi-year promotional agreement.
Vijender, current unbeaten super middleweight, who has fought all but one of his professional bouts in India and England, will make his debut under the Top Rank banner in early 2019, according to a statement.
“Top Rank is very excited to enter into a contract with Vijender,” Arum was quoted as having said in the statement.
“We intend to make him a big star in the United States and look forward to him participating in major events in India, where he is already a major superstar,” he added.
Commenting on the development, Vijender said: “I am really excited to be on board with Bob Arum and Top Rank. I have always wanted to work with someone who is the best in the business, and I know Top Rank has been the driving force behind boxing’s biggest superstars, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and Miguel Cotto.”
“I am eagerly waiting a date for my US debut to take on the world and keep the Indian flag on the world boxing map fluttering high.
Neerav Tomar, promoter of IOS Boxing Promotions said: “We at IOS are thrilled to be signing with the top boxing promoter in the world today, Bob Arum.”
The 33-year-old boxer turned pro in 2015 following an extensive amateur career that made him a mainstream celebrity in India.
He represented his homeland as a light welterweight at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Four years later, at the Beijing Olympics and fighting as a middleweight, Vijender captured a Bronze medal to become India’s first Olympic boxing medallist.
During the 2008 Olympics, he defeated Badou Jack, a current light heavyweight contender and former two-weight world champion.
Singh went on to capture Bronze at the 2009 World Championships (where he defeated current top middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko), Gold at the 2010 Asian Games, and qualified for the 2012 Olympics.
As a professional, he’s captured WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental super middleweight honours. He last fought on December 23, 2017, scoring a shutout 10-round decision against tough Ghanaian Ernest Amuzu at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur.
As for Krishan, he is scheduled to make his professional debut on January 18, 2019 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Krishan is the only Indian fighter in history to capture Gold medals at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, and represented India at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
“Top Rank is the best promotional company in the world,” Krishan had said. “I’m going to be a world champion as a pro. No Indian has ever done that before. When I win a title, I’m going to be more famous in India than the movie stars.”
“Vikas is a tremendous young man who we expect great things from,” Arum had said while announcing that Krishnan had joined his promotion’s ranks. “He is going to be our Indian Marvelous Marvin Hagler!”
Krishan, 26, is from Haryana, where he picked up the sport at the age of 10. He spent more than decade in the Indian amateur system and won a Gold medal at the 2010 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.
As a pro, he is going to train with Wali Moses in Newark, New Jersey, and with the Indian national team in Punjab.
