This article will tell you about the career highlights of Indian boxer Vijender Singh
Vijender Singh Beniwal, popularly known as Vijender Singh, is a former Indian professional boxer and an Olympic medalist. He was born on October 29, 1985, in Kaluwas village, Bhiwani district, Haryana, India.
Vijender started his boxing career in 2003, and in the same year, he won the silver medal in the sub-junior nationals. His consistent performances in various competitions earned him a place in the Indian boxing team, and in 2006, he won the bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, Australia.
Career Overview
In 2008, Vijender participated in the Beijing Olympics, where he created history by becoming the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal. He won the bronze medal in the middleweight (75 kg) category, defeating Carlos Gongora of Ecuador and Angkhan Chomphuphuang of Thailand in the preliminary rounds.
He eventually lost to Emilio Correa of Cuba in the semifinals, but his achievement was hailed as a breakthrough for Indian boxing.
After his Olympic success, Vijender turned professional in 2015 and signed with the Queensberry Promotions.
He made his professional debut against Sonny Whiting in Manchester, England, and won the bout via technical knockout in the third round. In his second professional fight, he defeated Dean Gillen of England in Dublin, Ireland.
Vijender’s professional career picked up pace, and he won his next six fights, including two title fights for the WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight title and the WBO Oriental Super Middleweight title.
His victory against Australian Kerry Hope in 2016, where he won the WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight title, was a significant milestone in his professional career.
In 2017, Vijender won his ninth professional fight against Chinese boxer Zulpikar Maimaitiali. There he won the WBO Oriental Super Middleweight title and retained the WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight title.
This victory made him the first Indian boxer to win two titles in the professional circuit.
In 2018, Vijender signed with Top Rank Promotions, one of the leading boxing promotion companies in the world. He fought twice that year and won both fights against Ernest Amuzu and Mike Snider.
Awards & Achievements
Vijender’s professional record stands at 12 wins and one loss, with eight of his victories coming via knockout.
In addition to his Olympic bronze medal, he has also won multiple medals in various international competitions, including gold medals in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships.
Personal Life
Apart from his boxing career, Vijender has also dabbled in other fields, including acting and politics. He made his acting debut in 2018 with the film “Fugly” and has since appeared in a few other Bollywood movies.
In 2019, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from South Delhi constituency as a candidate of the Indian National Congress party, but he lost the election.
Overall, Vijender Singh’s career as a boxer has been nothing short of impressive, and he is considered one of the greatest boxers to have represented India. His achievements have inspired a generation of Indian boxers and helped raise the profile of the sport in the country.
