Internet Desk: India’s star boxer Vijender Singh creates history today as he beat another undefeated boxer Zulipikar Maimaitiali of China today.
The 31-year old former Olympic bronze-medallist from Haryana was in the ring for his ninth professional fight today and his WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title was on the line. With this win over Zulipikar Vijender has also won the WBO Oriental super middleweight title.
Vijender had trained in Manchester with his trainer Lee Beard for this bout, the first ticket of which was presented to cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar at the latter’s house by the boxer himself.
In front of a partisan crowd, Vijender gave an exhibition of his class during the slugfest, and his oodles of experience came in handy during 10 intense rounds.
While Vijender had commented that ‘Chinese products don’t last long’ but Zulpikar managed to squeeze every ounce of his opponent’s energy.
“I didn’t expect him to fight so well and last the distance,” Vijender said after the bout.
Using his height and greater reach to good effect, Vijender most of the time had the better of exchanges with his straight ones and hooks landing flush on Zulpikar, whose blows didn’t have the desired effect.
The Chinese southpaw had his guard up most of the times and with a crouched stance, was relying mostly on the uppercuts.
However, he was guilty of trying to hit Vijender below the belt with as many as five low blows for which he was promptly warned by the referee.
The only round when Zulpikar looked a bit assertive was the third one when he tried to chase the Indian, who again showed his fleet-footedness to evade his punches on more than one occasions.
A frustrated Zulpikar, in fact, pushed Vijender to the ground, a favour that the Indian duly returned in the very next round.
Zulpikar got the real taste of Vijender of yore, when he landed a straight right followed by a left uppercut flush on his face as the crowd roared in approval.
However, the younger legs of Zulpikar did help him towards the fag end of the bout as the Indian looked tired.
Star Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan was also present in this grand event.