I'd love to be the next Manny Pacquiao: Vijender Singh

Life has come a full circle for both Indias star boxer Vijender Singh and Neerav Tomar MD amp CEO of Delhibased Infinity Optimal Solutions IOS Sports amp Entertainment Vijender an established boxer who has achieved global success at the amateur level will have to begin from scratch as he entered professional waters yesterdayVijender Singh and inset Manny PacquiaoMeanwhile Tomar who first signed Vijender as a 19yearold India trainee at Punes Army Sports Institute in 2005 then saw him leave to join Mumbaibased sports management firm Percept in 2009 and finally return to take the professional path through IOS yesterdayThis means the Beijing Olympics bronze medalwinner Vijender cant represent India again at the Games Though this may be viewed as a drop in his patriotic fervour Vijender begged to differJust like how Pacquiao carried the Phillipines flag and Floyd Mayweather Jr carried the US flag to their bout I will carry the Indian flag to my bouts Ive taken Indian boxing to a new untested level and opened international avenues for our boxers This cannot be viewed as unpatriotic Vijender told midday from London yesterday where he signed a multiyear deal with British promoter Frank Warrens son Francis company Queensberry Promotions through IOS Sports and EntertainmentThe inspirationSo what inspired the moveVijender answered without a moments hesitation The Mayweather JrPacquiao fight May 2 I dont want to compare myself to a legend like Pacquiao but if I can achieve even half of what he has I will consider myself successful said the 29yearold Bhiwani boxerBritish promoter Francis Warren extreme left boxer Vijender Singh trainer Lee Beard and IOS MD amp CEO Neerav Tomar in London yesterdayTomar elaborated A few days after the Mayweather JrPacquiao fight I met Viju in Delhi and randomly asked him about his future plans He said hed represented India at three Olympics and won medals in almost all tournaments and also tried films Fugly and TV MTV show Roadies but his heart is in boxingThe proposalSo I proposed the idea of pro boxing I told him that after Pacquiao retires the Phillipine boxer has suggested that he will hang up his gloves soon there is no other big name in Asian pro boxing I told him that he could be that next big name And the instinctive guy that Viju is he agreed But I still told him that we will first travel to England and only after he sees the setup there can he give the final nodVijender has enjoyed his last few days in UK working with renowned trainer Lee Beard who has previously been associated with top international boxers like Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Sr among others Tomar has an elaborate plan for Vijender The deal is that Viju will do a minimum of six fights in the first yearThe planWe are planning a debut fight in September We plan to have two fourround fights followed by two sixround fights and then two eightround fights In between if Viju and Lee feel he is ready for a title bout then we could go for a WBC World Boxing Council title or WBO World Boxing Organisation title or even a Commonwealth title which is a 10rounder We will telecast his fights on Indian TV at primetime around 930 pm But first Viju will be the chief guest at a WBA event in Wembley on July 24 said TomarThe multimillion dollar deal is subject to a good performance from the Indian who is no stranger to hardwork For now though giving up the India shirt hurts a bit Ill miss my India blue jersey But this move is for India too Vijender signed off