Vijender announces pro arrival with a short and sweet finish of Whiting

“Thanks to all my fans. My next fight will be October 30 in Harrow, enjoy it. That’s just the beginning,” the Haryana pugilist told a news conference after a terrific victory.

Whiting had a 2-1 win-loss record going into this bout, where he had promised he would put the Indian “through hell” in the build-up to the face-off eagerly awaited by Indi sports fans.

“I never got nervous during the bout. My punches have replied to Sonny Whiting in the ring. It’s new for me but I have been working hard. It’s going well. I want to win, win and win,” declared the Indian star.

Vijender, an Olympic and World Championship medallist which saw him turn into a poster boy in cricket-crazy India, pushed his opponent into a corner early in the first round of his maiden pro bout, but the experienced Briton didn’t back down as the opening round finished even.

The second saw fearless Vijender, who has been training in Manchester for over a month, mount a serious attack on the Briton, at times even dropping guard to draw his opponent into attack.

The third round was riveting as Vijender threw a flurry of punches to push his opponent on to the back foot. The match eventually ended with Vijender dropping the Brit with a solid left-right combination of hooks.

“I am very happy for this win. It’s just a beginning as I have to go a long way. I will work more hard and want to be a professional champion one day,” said Vijender.