Indian pugilists hope to break jinx in World Boxing Championship

New Delhi, Aug 27 (ANI): Pugilists of the Indian boxing team have underwent last-minute practice session ahead of the World Boxing Championship to be held at Milan in Italy next month and are hopeful of breaking the duck this time.

The World Boxing Championship is scheduled to be held from September 1 to12.

India is sending a team of nine boxers to take part in this ensuing international tourney in which over 700 pugilists from 100 countries will spar in the ring for medals in their respective weight categories.

Vijender Singh, Olympic-bronze medal winner in the middleweight category is practicing in full sprits and is hopeful of bringing laurels to the country.

Currently, he is ranked second in the world.

"We will try to do better this time. We try to improve every year. The way we performed well in Beijing last year, I hope that we will repeat the same this time in Italy. All boxers are fit and fully prepared. As per world rankings, they have good ranking so hopefully they will perform well this time," Vijender said.

Other Indian boxers vying for medals and recognition in the international arena are Jitender Kumar and Akhil Kumar, who performed really well at the Beijing Olympiad.

"Our preparations are going good. Boxers are completely fit and in fully confident. So we hopefully would break the jinx that we haven't received any title or medal in the World Championship," said Jitender Kumar.

The boxers who are practising rigorously under the watchful eyes of the coaches will leave for Milan on September 1

They had been practicing hard for the past six months in order to end their dearth of titles and medals in the World Boxing Championship.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is hoping to spice up the amateur game by find new audiences and new funding through the team-based World Boxing Series. (ANI)