India, with a population of 1.35 billion, has yet to produce a single professional boxing world champion.

Indian boxing’s poster boy Vijender Singh led the charge, winning Olympic and world championship bronze medals before signing as a pro with Frank Warren and then Top Rank, amassing an unbeaten record of 12-0.

However, at 35 years elderly and not seen in the ring since 2019, it is tough to see how much more Singh can achieve.

The task of shining a airy on boxing in his region now falls to 28-year-old Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti (8-0, 3 KOs).

Sukhdeep, who had modest results in amateur competition compared to the likes of Singh, gained attention at national level, which led to him signing with Canadian promoter Tyler Buxton.

India’s current pound-for-pound number one spoke exclusively to Adam Noble-Forcey about how the kid from Punjab ended up in Ontario.

“After good results in the village, state and national competitions, the same family that founded the academy in my village gave me the opportunity to come to Canada periodically and train with Ryan Grant, my current coach and confidant.

“I came for stints and realised that the training, expertise and resources in Canada helped me develop at a faster pace than the training in Punjab, so I tried to come as often as I could from my early 20s onwards.

“When I turned pro and signed with Tyler Buxton at United Promotions, I decided Canada was where I needed to be to elevate my game and get to the next level.”

Having boxed exclusively as a professional in Canada, Sukhdeep appeared to be fully recovered in his fresh home.

“Canada is a breath of fresh air. This country is way ahead of the curve when it comes to accepting other cultures, and I have never felt out of place here.

“The boxing scene here has been steadily improving over the years I have been boxing here. I routinely have the opportunity to train and spar with some of the fighters who will be making a mark in their division in the near future.

“Of course, there is still a long way to go before our fighters reach the level of those in the US, Mexico and many other major countries, but the work is really progressing,” Bhatti told proboxing-fans.com.

Having grown up in a country where cricket plays a dominant role, where did Sukheep get the inspiration to try his hand at boxing?

“I remember when I was very youthful, I used to roam around the Sher-E Punjab Sports Academy premises.

“I had an ongoing dispute with one of the boxers who trained there. At that time, I knew only one way to settle the score, and that was a brutal win or loss.

“But one of my trainers found out about my problem with the boxer and told me the only way to resolve the dispute was through professional boxing. I put on gloves, started training every day and never looked back.

Most of them are inspired by large names like Ali, Hagler, Robinson etc. However, Sukhdeep’s lust for boxing came from a more organic source.

“Where I grew up in Punjab, we heard murmurs about ‘this and that’, but boxing and other sports were much less televised and [even less] more is said than in the West.

“There were definitely certain fighting styles that I was more drawn to and enjoyed watching growing up, but I don’t remember anyone really standing out to inspire me to box.

“As primitive and cluttered as it may sound, I have always loved fighting. At first, I was driven by victory. But as I got older, it became more about my passion for art and making a name for myself for my family, friends, my village and my people.

I was curious to hear the middleweight’s opinion on whether India is a potential sleeping giant in boxing, with its passion for the sport and sometimes tough conditions.

“His [boxing] is immense and very competitive for both male and female boxers. The population alone ensures that there will always be very talented fighters.

“The problem is that sports are not a priority, and among the sports that are given some emphasis, combat sports don’t stand a chance. The raw potential is definitely there.

“For example, in Punjab, where agriculture is our livelihood, we come from endless generations of farmers. Therefore, this gene pool is more likely to have a forceful constitution and/or stamina to withstand the most tough occupations and climates. However, resources and priorities do not allow for a good solution to this situation.

“There is potential to satisfy people’s hunger. But if we know that much more is needed, resources are needed! What papers on the cracks [at the moment] these are examples of generosity and love from independent donors. It was the same with me!

“The real question is whether the government will provide further funding and incentives for the health and well-being of its citizens. Let’s hope the necessary changes are made.”

Undefeated and sitting atop the current Boxrec India rankings in pounds, where and who is next for the boxing prince of Punjab?

“I’m focused on myself and training every day. I trust Tyler to be my ‘who’ guy. Of course I could give you a list of headliners and pay-per-view titleholders I’d like to box, but really, this is the basis for me fighting the fight. Tyler just tells me where and when and he knows I’ll be ready.

“Of course it’s great to be undefeated. I feel privileged to be in this position and to have such an amazing team of people behind me. Although my record is impeccable, there are certainly areas that need constant nourishment and improvement.

“In the near future I want to improve and be the best I can be. In the medium term I am hungry for more titles and exposure. I want to leave my mark on boxing! In the long term I want to inspire others who come from developing parts of the world to do the same, where opportunities are meager.

“For me, it’s all about becoming and then, very soon, giving back.”

Author: Adam Noble-Forcey
Follow Adam on Twitter @Adam4cSports

“I sent a screenshot of him following me, I tagged his name and surname [in the post] and he DM’ed [direct messaged] SM. That’s how we started talking, he asked me if I was going to turn pro soon and I told him I was going to wait.

Raymond Ford turned pro with Matchroom USA, but his initial approach was a bit unconventional. Since connecting with Eddie Hearn via Instagram, “Savage” has been a perfect fit.

Ford is currently eight fights into his professional career and has a perfect undefeated record with his ninth fight coming up on the undercard with Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Juan Francisco Estrada.

Reflecting on his low career, Raymond feels there is room for improvement and is slightly disappointed with his early performances, but is nonetheless pleased with the progress he is making.

“I know I’m better [than I have shown]like I could do a lot more. Right now I feel like it’s okay, I’m going in the right direction,” Ford told proboxing-fans.com.

“Now I have an undefeated fighter that I’m going to be fighting soon, so I feel like that just gets me closer to being the world champion that I know I’m going to be.”

It’s refreshing to see a adolescent man looking to improve after his wins, rather than just settle for a win. The 21-year-old nicknamed “Savage” wants to entertain viewers.

“In the fights where I didn’t get knocked out, I feel like I could have done a lot more than I did.

“That’s why I enjoyed my last two fights. I basically left everything in the ring.

“I tried to go in there and start swift and early so I could break my opponents mentally.

“That’s what attracts the fans, that’s what makes them tune in and get knockouts. Especially at the beginning of my career, nobody wants to see me go the distance with these guys. That’s why I’m looking forward to the downtime!”

Aaron Perez is the next opponent Ford will try to impose an early victory on.

Perez also has a perfect professional record of 10 wins, stopping six fighters in the distance. This is the toughest test of Ford’s career on paper. Perez enters the ring somewhat unknown.

“I’d never heard of him. They brought him up in December, I was supposed to fight him in December, but I don’t know what happened. That was the first time I heard of him.

“There’s not a lot of footage of him, but I’ve seen a few bits and pieces of him and that’s all I need to see.”

While knockouts are thrilling to watch and generate a ton of buzz around a potential contender, there are opponents who will seemingly have “granite chins” and everyone needs a plan B, something the featherweight contender gleaned from his sparring days with Shakur Stevenson.

“[I learnt] to stay composed, relaxed and patient there. With Shakur, you can’t get too excited or just start throwing punches because he’ll pay you for it. You just always have to be sensible, especially with someone like him.

“So when I go out there looking for knockouts, if things don’t go my way, I know I can change that and just put it on cruise control, get some distance and box astute.”

The coronavirus pandemic put many careers on hold in 2020, but Ford was fortunate enough to fight three times last year and in 2021 he hopes to double that and win some gold.

“At least five or six times, it doesn’t bother me.

“I would like to win the Youth WBC [world championship]or an interim title. Just something around my waist until I get a real world title.

If Raymond gets his wish, he will be 14-0 by early 2022 and plans to become featherweight world champion at that point.

“I will be looking for a world title at the beginning of next year at the latest. I want to be 22 and be world champion before I am 23 and on March 16 I will be 22, so before March 16 next year I want to be world champion.

Ford’s motivation is clear – the path is hard, but worth taking.

“For me it’s about my legacy, I want to be a legend in this sport.

“I want to be great at this sport, it’s not just about money for me.”

Below you will find the entire interview with Raymond “Savage” Ford:

The Contra War in Nicaragua, a bloody affair that claimed tens of thousands of lives in the 1980s, was no place to raise a child. But it produced a warrior, and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez emerged from the devastation to become a success story.

Growing up in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, Gonzalez (50-2, 41 KOs) describes his childhood environment on proboxing-fans.com as “a very humble environment that helped me appreciate what God has given me now through my boxing career.”

“Chocolatito” emerged from the darkest places to cement his name in the history books of the sport to which he decided to dedicate his life.

He built such a legacy after overcoming every challenge in his path, becoming a four-weight world champion and coming back from adversity to regain championship honors.

Although he was a boxing fan, teenage Gonzalez was initially fascinated by football, but his fighting father decided to one day teach him this sweet science.

Once he had his chin tucked in, his fists raised high, and his feet side by side in an orthodox stance, that was it, there was no turning back, the boxing bacteria had seeped into his blood like a leech, but there was nothing to shake or drink away

Like all Nicaraguan fighters, Roman idolized Alexis Arguello. The three-division world champion retired with a record of 77-8, and his bushy mustache adorned posters in boxing gyms across the country.

Gonzalez remembers his first day at the boxing gym vividly as if it were just yesterday: “When I first went to the boxing gym, I met my idol, the greatest boxer in Nicaraguan history, Alexis Arguello.

“I was even more impressed because he spoke to me briefly and then forced me to work on my posture. It was a great moment for me.”

The current WBA “Super” 115-pound world champion watched fighters like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad with his father, who was a boxer.

Boxing ran through the Gonzalez family veins and from a teenage age it was obvious what “Chocolatito” was destined for.

“It definitely runs in the family, but I enjoyed it because I was beating bigger opponents, which motivated me even more because I could see how proud my family was of me.”

The 33-year-old surpassed the achievements of his idol Arguello by becoming a four-time world heavyweight champion, also becoming the first fighter to do so in the four lightest weight classes.

Gonzalez, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the coming years, hopes to continue to inspire future generations.

“I believe that it is a blessing from God that gave me this talent and it is my duty to do this to the youth be a role model for them, it is a true blessing.”

In a professional career spanning 52 fights, only Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who also fights on March 13, has defeated Roman, but the Nicaraguan leaves no bitter taste on his tongue as he looks back on his career without regret.

“I wouldn’t change a thing because I believe God’s timing is perfect.

“Everything I have been through has brought me to where I am now, and that makes me joyful, even if I had to go through a lot of difficulties.”

On March 13, Gonzalez will step into the ring against his former opponent, Juan Francisco Estrada, whom he defeated in 2012. This time, both men are world champions, meaning the rematch will be a unification fight and a fight that “Chocolatito” has been wanting for some time now.

“It’s great to be with your team and focus on one of my dream fights, it motivates me to give my all every day.

“I feel blessed to be able to unify the titles against such a great champion and friend. I’ve wanted this fight for a while now, so to get this opportunity is very motivating and I’m training very challenging to shine on this night.”

The victory may have been awarded in 2012, but now, nine years later, the task ahead is much greater. However, if Roman has learned one lesson in his career, it is this: “To never stop learning and to never underestimate your opponent.”

As he nears the end of his career, Gonzalez has already made business investments for his future. Retirement is a word that scares many boxers, but not Roman, who accepts that it is all part of God’s plan.

“I believe that only God knows when I will hang up the gloves, but for now I picture myself working on a farm and in the real estate company I started a few years ago in Nicaragua.

“I believe that everything comes to an end, but only God knows when, and I know that it will eventually come and I will accept it as long as I am sure that I have always given my all.”