Vijender Singh tells Asian Games-bound Indians to drop distractions, predicts five to six medals
World and Olympic medallist Vijender Singh told Asian Games-bound Indian boxers during a virtual interaction on September 16, 2026, to cut out distractions such as mobile phones and focus on winning medals, and he forecast the team would secure five to six medals at the Asiad.
Vijender, who won an Olympic bronze in 2008, recalled his own Asian Games experience, noting he bagged a bronze and a gold in the 2006 and 2010 Asiad respectively, and described how he played down a dislocated left thumb to upset World champion Abbos Atoev in the Guangzhou final to take gold.
Addressing the women boxers by name, he praised their work ethic and medal hunger in a single string of remarks: “Sakshi (Choudhary, 51kg) is hard-working. Preeti Pawar (54kg) is doing well. Priya Ghanghas (60kg) will also perform well. And Lovlina (Borgohain, 75kg). The girls are more hungry for medals.”
He also identified key men in the squad, naming Sachin (Siwach, 60kg) and Narender Berwal (+90kg), and underlined Berwal’s credentials: “He got an Asian Games medal and Arjuna Award. He must be confident.”
Speaking about the team’s broader make-up, Vijender said his preference lay with the women and referenced their origins: “But girls are my favourites. Most of them are from Haryana. In the news, people say Haryanvi people don’t like girls. But our girls (are) changing everything.”
He urged the boxers to ignore external concerns about conditions in Japan, saying environment is secondary to performance: “It doesn’t matter if the room is big or small. What matters is our performance. We aren’t going there to have fun. We are going there to fight. And we have to win that fight.” He added that nations such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China and Japan are performing well and that the Asian Games will be tough, but he believes the Indian boxers are fit and ready.
"I hope they will do well," he said. (Watch Asian Games live and exclusive on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV.)