WBO title fight: Vijender Singh ready to rule Asia
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India's star boxer Vijender Singh will fight former European champion Kerry Hope in the eagerly-anticipated WBO Asia title bout, which will be held on July 16 in New Delhi.
The 30-year-old Indian has been unbeaten since turning pro last year, winning all his six contests so far via knockouts.
Hope, on the other hand, brings with him experience of 30 bouts, of which he has won 23, two of them knockouts.
The Welsh-born Hope, who emigrated to Australia, was also a WBC middleweight champion and has moved a division to super middleweight to take on Vijender.
"He is a superstar in India but to me he is just a boxer. He has been pro for a year, I have been pro for 12 years. I bring a lot of experience. I know the crowd will be behind him but I like being the underdog. The pressure is on him. He has to train harder," the 34-year-old Hope said at a press conference here.
Vijender was his usual understated self when it came to talking before the bout.
"Time will decide what happens on July 16. Just wait and watch," was his reply to Hope's statement before the two faced off for a brief while.
The first ticket for the bout was presented to former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag, a longtime friend of Vijender.
"Even in cricket, it's a lot of fun to beat Australians. So, I hope Vijender beats Kerry," quipped Sehwag while posing with the ticket.
The bout will be held at the Thyagaraj Stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 6,000, and Vijender has already invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and several other dignitaries to what promises to be a mega-event.
