Pulling punches in the ring… with one eye on hockey

“I was always fascinated by hockey,and played the sport quite seriously. One of my father’s friends then told me to continue boxing and I found myself at the SAI Centre at Mastana Sahib. Since then,it boxing has been my sole focus,but I still play hockey whenever I get a chance,” Singh told The Indian Express.

Singh will be competing in the light fly-weight (49 kg) category in Delhi,and is a vital cog in the Indian boxing team which is looking to make an impression at the fifth Commonwealth Boxing Championship.

In a category that has seen Nanao performing well over the past two years,Singh has had his share of positives,winning the bronze medal in the 2007 Asian Championship held in Mongolia,a gold in the 2008 nationals,and a silver in the training-cum-competition event in Russia last year.

“I learnt a lot of lessons in Mongolia. Most of the boxers were from Asian powerhouses such as Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan and Mongolia,and the bronze medal there meant a lot to me. The Russian event was an exposure trip for us and we also got a chance to train with some of the best European boxers,” says Singh,whose father is a Ragi (preacher of the Guru Granth Sahib) in a gurudwara in Sangrur.

Singh says he and Nanao are close friends,despite them competing in the same weight category,and says they have learnt a lot from each other. “When Nanao first came in the camp,he could hardly speak Hindi. We would spar endlessly in the boxing hall and while he gave me a lot of advice,I taught him Hindi,which he now speaks confidently,” he says,laughing.

As for the Hockey World Cup,Amandeep says he will take time out to watch the Indian team. “Of course I will go. It was my first love as far as sport goes.”