New Delhi, March 26: Boxer Akhil Kumar will hit his rehabilitation routine after a successful surgery on his right wrist in Johannesburg. The Indian boxer, among the five pugilists who have qualified for the Beijing Olympics, is expected to stay in South Africa till he recovers.

Akhil’s physiotherapist, Heath Matthews, who is working with the Mittal Champions Trust, told The Indian Express that the surgery had been successful, and that Akhil would resume his fitness programme in a day or two.

“Within a week, he (Akhil) should be starting his physical fitness work,” Matthews said from Johannesburg, while adding that there will be no punching sessions till the medical expert gives his nod.

“There is no hurry. Akhil has to prepare for a big event in August. The medical expert will examine the wrist of the right hand again after a week. If he feels it’s okay to punch, we will go ahead,” Matthews added.

Matthews, who has also worked on Sania Mirza’s fitness, expressed his confidence that Akhil, who won gold in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, will regain his fitness to face the big challenge in Beijing. “Hopefully, within a month Akhil should be enjoying good fitness. He should also be able to punch with his right hand too. At the moment, he can only punch with his left hand.”

The nagging wrist injury had kept him out of the national competition and, subsequently, the world boxing championships in Chicago. But on his return to the international arena, he not only got an Olympic quota place, but also the gold medal in the bantamweight class and the ‘best boxer’ award in the continental qualifying event in Bangkok. After the Bangkok tourney, he had expressed his satisfaction, saying his best was yet to come. “I am hoping for a podium finish in Beijing,” he had said.

If that does happen, it’ll be a remarkable chapter in an entertaining tale.