With his bespectacled look, Devendro Singh now looks like a studious youngster who is willing to learn.
Once considered one of the best boxers in the world, Devendro had narrowly missed out on a World championships medal in 2011 and an Olympics medal in 2012.
In fact, Devendro is now willing to learn the lessons of coaching and wants to invest all his experience in producing Olympics and World championship medallists.
A new direction
Stationed at the Army Sports Institute here, Devendro is seen helping the Services boxers prepare for the bouts in the ongoing National championships. “I am aiming to become a coach. Here I am assisting our head coach and learning a few things about coaching. Next year, I am planning to the coaches’ course from NIS Patiala and help youngsters achieve what I could not,” Devendro told Sportstar .
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“I still love the sport and do some sparring here. I wanted to compete, but my eye issue and ankle injury prevented me from continuing,” said the 26-year-old Manipuri, who last competed in the India Open international boxing tournament in Delhi earlier this year.
‘No regrets’
Asked about the disappointment he faced in 2011 Baku World championships, the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Devendro said, “I lost to the same opponent (Paddy Barnes of Ireland) in Olympics (quarterfinals) and Commonwealth Games (final). In the Worlds, I lost out on a medal (after facing defeat against Shin Jong Hoon of Korea) but was happy to qualify for the Olympics. Had I won those bouts, I would have been at a different place today. But I have no regrets. I got what I had to get. I have moved on.”
Devendro, also an Asian silver medallist, is happy that his family has always stood by him. “My family never put pressure on me. They tell me I should do what I like to do. Having an elder sister, who was an international boxer (Sushila Devi), helped,” said Devendro with a smile.
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