Amit Panghal, the 28-year-old Indian boxer, has undergone a remarkable transformation since the Tokyo Olympics. After a brief setback, he has regained his spot on the national team and is determined to fulfill his grandfather’s dream of winning an Olympic medal.
Panghal’s grandfather, Captain Jagram Panghal, was an undefeated wrestler in his village. His image is now tattooed on Panghal’s shoulder blade, serving as a constant source of inspiration. “It ensures he is always around me. I draw a lot of peace and confidence from it,” Panghal says.
Despite being the world No. 1, Panghal suffered a disappointing exit in the opening bout of the Tokyo Olympics. However, his resilience has propelled him to a second chance at Olympic glory.
Panghal’s resurgence began with a victory at the Strandja Memorial in February. He then topped the evaluation criteria at the national camp, earning his return to the team.
To prepare for Paris, Panghal underwent a month-long training stint at the high-altitude center in Shilaroo, Himachal Pradesh. This has significantly improved his endurance and stamina.
“My endurance has improved a lot. Initially, I would lose steam after a bit of brisk walking at this altitude, but now I feel fresh throughout the bout,” Panghal says.
Panghal has also worked on his starting problems, which cost him in Tokyo. He now plans to adopt a more proactive approach from the opening round.
“The solution is to go on early attacks and land a few punches to impress the judges. I have changed my reactive strategy and have decided to be proactive,” he says.
Panghal identifies Cuban Alejandro Carlo and Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov as his main threats in Paris. However, he remains confident in his ability to counter taller opponents with his pacy in-out style.
“It’s the style that has worked best for me. I feel the endurance work will enable me to pull this off against the best,” he says.
