Shiva Thapa, the Indian boxer who boxes in the 56kg category became the highest ranked Indian player and the second ranked international boxer in the latest AIBA rankings. Thapa improved five places after winning a bronze medal at last month’s World Championships in Doha.
The Indian boxer now has 1550 points and is only the third Indian after Vijender Singh and Vikas Krishnan to ever win a medal at the prestigious World Championships.
The Assam fighter has made the 56kg category his personal fiefdom with no Indian boxer even close to his jabs and punches. Thapa is now only second behind Irishman Michael Conlan who won the Gold medal at the World Championships.
The young boxer was deeply motivated by Mike Tyson and gave up Karate to train for boxing. He became the youngest boxer to qualify for the London Olympic Games in 2012. He is also the first Indian boxer to be signed in World Series Boxing, USA.
In the latest rankings, Vikas who made it to the quarterfinals in Doha was placed sixth in the 75kg middleweight division. He is an Asian Championships silver medalist in a category which was dominated by Vijender Singh, the Olympic bronze medalist who went professional earlier this year.
Apart from Thapa and Vikas, Devendro Singh made it to the 13th spot in the 49kg category with 550 points. The Manipuri youngster was one of the major contenders but his fight was cut short in the second round because of a cut above his eye.
Source-Mensxp.com
