I can dethrone Vikas, says bulked-up, fit-again Mandeep

Mandeep JangraHe has bulked up to Indian boxings golden category the middleweight in pursuit of a second successive Commonwealth Games medal and after two podium finishes since the shift Mandeep Jangra says he is ready to dethrone the more accomplished Vikas Krishan Mandeep who claimed a silver medal at the Glasgow 2014 CWG in the welterweight 69kg category would be giving it a shot in the 75kg division at the Gold Coast edition come AprilBut for that he would have to get past Vikas an Asian Games goldmedallist a multipletime Asian Championships medallist a world championships bronzemedallist and an Olympian to boot Middleweight and bantamweight 56kg are the golden categories of Indian boxing From Viju bhai Vijender Singh to Akhil bhai look at what these guys have achieved I think I will also achieve a lot in middleweight the newlycrowned national champion told PTI His statement is not too off the mark given that Vijender became the countrys first Olympic and world medallist in middleweightBantamweight on the other hand has thrown up achievers such as former Commonwealth Games goldmedallist Akhil and threetime Asian medallist and world bronze medallist Shiva Thapa Mandeep an Arjuna awardee clinched a bronze at the recentlyconcluded India Open which was given a miss by Vikas owing to a hand injury I was upto it against Vikas in the trials and lost a close bout I beat a Thai boxer at the India Open in the quarterfinals and lost a split verdict to an Uzbek in the semifinal I think I am getting close to top performance and will be able to beat Vikas in the next trial said MandeepMandeep had lost 41 to Israil Madrimov the reigning Asian champion and an Asian Games silvermedallist The 24yearolds decision to jump to middleweight was more of his mentor Akhil than his own but given the success he is not complaining He hopes to break into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme for better financial assistance Akhil bhai suggested that I try 75kg after I came back from injury but I was not sure I thought I didnt have the power but eventually I realised I was mistakenI know if I have to become the first choice I have to beat Vikas soundly He is technically a very sharp boxer but I think I can beat him on pace and power he asserted Mandeep had quite literally vanished from the scene after the 2014 CWG owing to a hairline fracture in the wrist which aggravated after he carried it to tournaments including the Glasgow Games I made a huge mistake in doing that A bone in my wrist was all but destroyed because of the fact that I continued to compete despite injuryAfter CWG I got it operated took a long break and have come back after attaining full fitness he said I work with a very simple funda prayaas itne shaant ho ki safalta shor machaye efforts should be so hushed that success ends up making the most noise he signed offCatch up on all the latest sports news and updates hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go