Vikas Krishan apologizes for Rio exit; hints at lack of preparation due to banned federation

08/16/2016

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Vikas Krishan lost his quarterfinal bout against Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan 0-3 to crash out of the 75kg category boxing event. Vikas was the last boxing hope for India left at Rio, and the southpaw has apologized for failing to win a medal for India despite his best efforts.

"I'm really sorry to have let you down. I tried to clinch the issue in the first round. But once he took the first round, it was very difficult to come back, and I almost gave up," Vikas Krishan said after his bout, reported PTI.

The 24-year-old faced 2015 World Amateur Boxing Championship silver medalist and Asian Championship gold medalist Bektemir Melikuziev, who had also defeated him previously at the Asian Championship. Krishan spoke about his weakness against the southpaws, and how he had requested for a southpaw to train with numerous times.

"I always hoped to earn India a medal on the Independence Day but I failed. I'm sorry.

"I could not have played better than this. I cannot play better than this against a southpaw. I was trying for left and right hooks but could not succeed and he dominated.

"I always have lost to a southpaw, be it world championship, last Olympics or an Olympic qualifier. I've always lost to a southpaw. I did train well, but there are about five per cent southpaw boxers in India, and I'm one of them. So I don't get opponents of my standard.

"As I was a southpaw, I had no answer to his blows. I don't get to train with a southpaw. I've requested many times to bring southpaw," Vikas added.

Vikas Krishan also said that the banned federation did not help matters in the buildup to the event, although, he stopped short of blaming them for his exit.

"We did not have a camp for last two years and he only had gone to the USA for fitness training.

"We have got a handful of opportunities. We used to train with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan but with the ban on federation we lost the opportunity and nobody called us. But I am not blaming the Federation, I lost because of my mistakes. I may have trained lesser than him," Vikas explained.

"He's improved a lot the last time I fought with him.

“They have prepared well unlike us where we have a lot of controversies back home in the federation. However, I do not want to blame anyone. I lost and it's because he was better than me,” he added.

Earlier, Vikas had hinted that this will be his last Olympics. The pugilist is expected to follow the footsteps of Vijender Singh and switch to pro boxing. When asked about his future plans, Vikas said, "I will go back home and spend some time with my family then I will think."

Also, read why Vikas Krishan is another Vijender Singh in the making.