Boxing coach GS Sandhu wary of 'tricky draw'

The Beijing Games bronze medallist will start his campaign against Danabek Suzhanov of Kazakhstan at the London Olympics here today.

GS Sandhu

"The draw is tough, in fact very tricky but we are keeping our fingers crossed because of the good forms of our boxers," chief boxing coach GS Sandhu told PTI. The boxing competition, which gets underway at the Excel Arena here will also see teen sensation Shiva Thapa (56 kg) taking on Mexican boxer Oscar Valdez Fierro.

World Championship bronze medallist Vikas Krishan (69kg) has been seeded third and is the only Indian boxer to get a bye. Five-time world champion MC Mary Kom (51kg) will open her campaign against Polish boxer Karolina Michalczuk in women's boxing which makes its Olympic debut on August 5.

An unprecedented eight Indian boxers - seven men and for the first time a woman - are in the British capital faced with sky-high expectations. India's sole representative in women's boxing, Mary Kom is among the strongest medal contenders. u00a0