“I will not go abroad” - Boxer Amit Panghal to train in India ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024
Ace Indian boxer Amit Panghal has decided to train in India ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024 instead of traveling alongside the rest of the Indian boxing contingent for a camp in Bangkok ahead of the second World Olympic Qualifier.
Notably, Panghal secured the Paris Olympics 2024 quota in the 51 kg category in the only chance he received from the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). He has preferred training in India with boxers from heavyweights and get ready for the mega event in Paris.
Former World Championships silver medallist and a World No.1 boxer in his weight category, Amit Panghal is confident of performing well in the quadrennial event, focusing on high altitude training to improve his overall fitness.
“I will not go abroad. I find it difficult as far as food is concerned. I will train here with boxers from heavier weights because they have better endurance, speed and power than me. If I can handle them here, I can handle my opponents in the Olympics,” Panghal told Sportstar.
“I would like to do high altitude training, maybe at Shilaru for two-three weeks, to improve my fitness,” he added.
“I had problems with food and training” - Amit Panghal
Amit Panghal faced problems with his diet plan while training overseas as he had an unpleasant experience during a pre-Olympics camp in Italy and put up a below-par performance in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021
With BFI allowing Panghal to train in India, he has been getting ready for the big event with his basics coach Anil Dhankhar, and Cuban B.I. Fernandes.
“I had problems with food and training, especially with boxers with whom I was going to fight, in the past. There is no problem, specifically with diet, when I train in India,” Panghal stated.
“I have been training with Fernandes. Whenever I get a break, I train with him. I had requested the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) to let me train in India and they agreed. I was provided with sparring partners,” Panghal went on to add.
Furthermore, Panghal found ways to improve his gameplay, one perfect example being cutting down the rest period between rounds by 20 seconds. Panghal is working hard on getting good starts, which remains his area of improvement moving into the Summer Games.