Kaur Singh

Kaur Singh (Punjabi: ਕੌਰ ਸਿੰਘ) is a former Indian heavyweight champion boxer from Punjab. He has represented India in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Singh won three gold medal for senior national boxing championship, Asian Boxing Championship and Asian Games.[1][2][3]

Kaur Singh
Statistics
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Nationality Indian
BornMalwa, Punjab, India
StanceOrthodox
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing  India
Asian Games
1982 New Delhi Heavyweight
Asian Championships
1980 Heavyweight

Early life

Singh was born in Khanal Khurd in Sangrur, Punjab's Malwa region a small-time farmer before joining the Indian army in 1979 as havildar at the age of 23 where he participated in the India-Pakistan war and awarded Sena Medal for his bravery and won Vishisht Sewa Medal in 1988.[4]

Boxing career

In 1979, Singh won a gold medal at the senior national boxing championship and remain the holder of the gold medal for four years till 1983.[5]

In 1980, Singh won a gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championship in Mumbai.[6]

In 1982, Singh won a gold medal at the heavyweight category Asian Games held at New Delhi, in the same year he got the Arjuna Award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.[7][8]

In 1983, Government of India awarded Singh with the Padma Shri award for outstanding contribution to Indian sports.[9]

Singh retired from boxing career in 1984 after participating and representing India in the Los Angeles Olympics where he won two bouts but defeated in the third match.

Fighting against Muhammad Ali

On January 27, 1980, Singh fought at Delhi's National Stadium against Muhammad Ali in an exhibition match of four-round. "Us de mukke bahut hi dumdar si (His punches had great power). I clearly remember that jab, his famous jab. It seemed to come out of nowhere. He used his right hand to block my punches, and his counterpunch to hit me. His speed was amazing; not once during those four rounds did the speed drop. He was shorter than me but his ring craft and movement took him out of my reach." Said Singh.[10]

Legacy

A biopic film of Singh, Padma Shri Kaur Singh, is under post production stage and slated to release in 2020. Producer Karam Batth will also act as Singh.[11][12][13]

References
  1. "Here's the unheard story of Kaur Singh, the farmer from Punjab who fought Muhammad Ali". Business Insider.
  2. "How the Army Rushed to the Rescue of a Forgotten Boxing Hero - Twice!". The Better India. 20 December 2017.
  3. "Forgotten Boxing hero Kaur Singh raising loan from money lenders for medical treatment". India Today.
  4. "Arjuna Award". The Times of India.
  5. "कभी बॉक्सर मोहम्मद अली से किया था मुकाबला, अब जी रहे ऐसे बदहाली की जिंदगी". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 13 December 2017.
  6. "Kaur Singh, a gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championship in 1980". The Tribune (Chandigarh).
  7. "The untold story of Kaur Singh – A forgotten Indian boxer who fought Muhammad Ali". punjabtoday.in.
  8. "Heavyweight boxing champ Kaur Singh recalls fight with Zorawar Muhammed Ali". SBS PopAsia.
  9. "Boxer Kaur Singh: The forgotten hero who fought Muhammad Ali". The Bridge. 25 December 2017.
  10. "Indian boxer recalls fight with 'shahenshah'". The Indian Express. 22 July 2016.
  11. "Padma Shri Kaur Singh's Biopic On Cards; He Was The Only Indian Boxer To Fight Muhammad Ali". KoiMoi.
  12. "Biopic of only Indian boxer who fought Muhammad Ali in the pipeline". Zee News.
  13. "Now, film on Indian boxer who faced Ali". Mumbai Mirror.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.