A bit of dictatorship is required in a positive way: Akhil Kumar

New Delhi: Indian boxer Akhil Kumar on Wednesday said that he preferred “dictatorship”in a positive way while training young boxers and also laid focus on “will power and desire” to achieve success in the sport.

Kumar, who is also the national observer of Indian boxing will wear the boxing gloves and take to the ring in a tournament organised by Hope and Glory boxing in association with Boxing Premier League and WBC on February 10 in New Delhi.

“I like to be a dictator, a bit of dictatorship is needed I feel (while mentoring), but in a positive way. Two things that I look for are will power and desire. If you have them you will be focussed. I want them to be obedient,” said Kumar.

The Commonwealth Games gold medalist is known to not hold back his words while expressing himself as he said that he is wrongly labelled as an aggressive boxer.

“I am not an aggressive boxer, the kind of image you all have created. I am a very technical boxer. You look at my footwork, my open guard, my mobility and my ringcraft. I should not be called an aggressive boxer,” he said.

The 36-year-old who runs the Akhil Kumar Boxing Club was also optimistic about the future of Indian boxing.

“They are doing pretty well, and if they are doing their job we must praise them. The federation is trying to ensure boxing is headed in the right direction. At this stage, we can certainly look ahead with hope,” he said.

Akhil also admitted that he does have an eye for talent while citing Shashi Chopra’s example.

“Look at Shashi Chopra, the youth World Championship medallist. She won in Guwahati and I was there (she was recommended by Akhil),” he said.

He also pointed out to Jitender Kumar, an Olympian who is one of his most famous pupils and said, “an example is sitting right here.”

The 36-year-old pugilist who also had made it to the quarter-finals of the Beijing Olympics had made a good start to his professional career where he achieved a technical knock-out win over Ty Gilchrist of Australia in the junior welterweight category at the, “Battleground Asia” earlier this year. Later, a breach of contract resulted in him falling out with his promoters.

Opening up on this new venture, Akhil said, “The primary focus should be on boxing and not boxers. Being a boxer, I am aware of the challenges that young athletes encounter to pursue their dreams. Talented players are deprived of basic amenities required to nurture their career beyond their amateur days.

“Hope and Glory Boxing is an excellent attempt to overcome these barriers and prepare them for international pro boxing championships under the mentorship of senior boxers.”

Other than Akhil, who is the brand ambassador, the tournament would have participants in the form of Jitender Kumar, Brijesh Kumar Meena (WBC Asian Boxing Champion) and boxers from France, Tanzania, Georgia and Philippines.

There would be a total of six bouts-four for men and two for women at the event conducted at the Talkatora Stadium.

Vikas Malik, the founder and Managing Director of Hope and Glory Boxing, while speaking on the occasion said, “We want to present quality sporting events so that players can develop their technique and compete with international pro boxers.

“Keeping this in mind, we would be actively bringing international boxers to India and host boxing events internationally. Making Pro Boxing a viable career option for Indian amateur boxers who quit after years of training and fighting without reward, is our foremost objective.”