Internet Desk: India’s star boxer Vijender Singh would like to win his second title and keep his unbeaten record intact when he lock horns with another undefeated boxer Zulipikar Maimaitiali of China on Saturday.
The 31-year old former Olympic bronze-medallist from Haryana will be in the ring for his ninth professional fight tomorrow and his WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title will be on the line.
Maimaitiali’s WBO Oriental super middleweight title will also be on the line in a double title battle.
Vijender has been training 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.
A confident Vijender has dubbed his Chinese opponent as inexperienced.
“This is India versus China, I don’t need anything and I am excited, I know the whole of India is with me,” Vijender said at the weigh-in today.
“I am very confident and hope that the fight will be good and India will win. last night I checked my weight it was 78 and I had to be 76.2, so I did not eat anything. My weight is 76.00 today, I will very much focus on diet,” he told reporters on Friday.
The Indian said his strategy would be responsive to how his opponent maneuvers the bout.
“My strategy will depend on how he plays, I will set my game according to him. We have changed a lot in technique and we have worked on it,” he said.
The official weigh-in and the face-off for the bout happened this afternoon here.
“I am experienced. I don’t consider him as an experienced boxer, he is young, but he is a strong kid and we are ready for it.
“I have a game plan which I discussed with my coach, he (the coach) said stay calm, don’t be in hurry,” Vijender said.