Luck was on my side at Asiad,says Vijender

Handicapped by a dislocated thumb and up against a two-time world champion,Indian boxer Vijender Singh said he still managed to pull off the Asian Games gold medal as ‘luck was back’ on his side a month after deserting him at the Commonwealth Games.

World number one Vijender blanked Uzbekistan’s two-time world champion Abbos Atoev in the Asian Games final despite dislocating his thumb in the opening three minutes of the bout.

Recalling the tense moments,the 25-year-old,whose hand is currently heavily bandaged,said a power-packed left hook led to the dislocation and leaving him to fight practically with one hand.

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“My hand was in a terrible state even before the Asian Games but it completely broke at the worst possible time.

It was in the closing stages of the first round.