Amateur to Pro – World Championship Medallist Nishant Dev Follows Vijender Singh to Turn Professional Boxer

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World championship bronze medallist and Olympian Indian boxer Nishant Dev has bid adieu to his amateur career by announcing that he has joined Matchroom Boxing to begin his professional boxing career.

One of the most consistent Indian boxers in recent times, Dev represented India at the Paris Olympics, where he reached as far as the quarterfinals, has now signed with top promoters Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing.

The 24-year-old will make his professional debut at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on January 25. His opponent is yet to be announced. The event is headlined by a super middleweight bout between Steve Nelson and Diego Pacheco.

"I'm very excited to be joining Matchroom Boxing and beginning my professional career in Las Vegas on January 25th," Dev wrote on Instagram. "My goal is to become India's first ever world professional boxing champion and I know I have a whole nation behind me to help me achieve this."

The two-time National champion is being trained by former professional boxer Ronald Simms, who also worked with another Indian boxer in Vikas Krishan a few years ago.

"I'm working hard every day with my trainer Ronald Simms. I know I have the right team behind me and the biggest promoter in the world to ensure that I reach the very top in the sport," he said.

Dev's amateur career includes a Light Middleweight bronze at the 2023 World Championships. He also narrowly missed a medal at the Paris Olympics after a contentious quarterfinal loss to Mexico's Marco Verde.

Reflecting on his amateur journey, Dev said: "I enjoyed my time as an amateur boxer and competed at the very highest level in the Olympics and winning a World Championship medal. But now, I'm ready for this new chapter in my career. The journey to the World Championship starts in Las Vegas on January 25th!"

Nishant follows Vijender Singh among several other Indians to take up professional boxing. Vijender, a former world championship and Olympic medallist, was the first Indian boxer to turn pro in 2015. Since then Vikas Krishan, Neeraj Goyat and two-time Olympian Akhil Kumar have also followed suit.