Pradeep Sihag

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Pardeep Sihag

Pradeep Sihag is the most successful Boxer from India. This champion now stands :

  1. 1 in Australia
  2. 1 in India
  3. 2 in Asia,
  4. 6 in Commonwealth
  5. 14 in World!!


Cast away by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), a 19-year-old promising boxer from Bhiwani has struck gold, literally, in Australia.

Pradeep Shiag was one of the boxers selected for the Youth Commonwealth Games in Australia in November, 2004. But a few hours before the departure of the Indian team, Pradeep was told that he had been dropped from the team, and his blazer and other official documents were taken back in the middle of night. The reason cited for his exclusion from the team was that he had undergone an eye operation, and was therefore unfit to box. Pradeep Shiag was shattered as he was a good middle weight boxer (75kg), and had shown his mettle in various national championships. He was part of over seven coaching camps conducted by the SAI, but when his time of reckoning came, the SAI bosses cast him away mercilessly.

With his ambition to represent the country shattered, Pradeep, belonging to a poor family, and who had honed his boxing skills at the Haryana Boxing Academy at Bhiwani, under coach Rajeev Dhangad, decided to try his luck in the professional circuit, and joined the Fighter Factory boxing club in Melbourne, Australia.

Pradeep found a benefactor in Mori Thompson, who sponsored his stay and training expenses in Australia. Soon, Pradeep Shiag boxed his way to glory winning six professional events, which included four knockouts and two by points. His boxing skills were in full flow when he won the Pan Asian Championship, which fetched him a gold belt weighing 1.5 kg and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

He also lifted the Australian Championship title and has now set his sight on the professional circuit in the USA, starting in September. But before that, he wants to hone his skills at his alma mater, the Haryana Boxing Academy at Bhiwani, where he would train for 15 days.

Pradeep is now ranked 12th in the World Boxing Council list and second in Australia in his weight category.

Pradeep was given a rousing welcome when he arrived in Delhi last night. He said his biggest regret was that he would not be able to represent the country in the Olympics, having turned professional.

His coach Rajeev Dhangad said the young boy had a 100 per cent chance of making it into the US professional circuit for which he would have to win four contests.

He will train at Bhiwani till August 20 before leaving for the USA to compete in the world championship series.

Next year he is goin to USA for mainstream boxing and want to take his country, community n family's name to new heights!!

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