Even though he won by a technical knockout with a round to spare, Vijender Singh did have some nerves going into the bout with Sonny Whiting on Saturday. He tells TANUJ lAKHINA about the fight from Manchester
Has the feeling sunk inIJ
It was great and my debut. last time I was in a ring in a fight was in Scotland in 2014, it had been a long time.
What was your strategyIJ
The strategy was to just go in and box hard and take my chances. I hadn't seen any previous bouts of his. I had been sparring with different people of different heights and had done my preparation well. The idea was to just go for the kill - no matter what stage of the fight it was. My coaches told me to relax, punch straight and I did just that.
When did you first feel the difference between amateur and pro boxingIJ
When I was punched on my face, it was the first real difference. It was extreme power. The size of the glove makes a lot of difference.
Were you any bit nervousIJ
It was my debut so it happens. The responsibility of doing well on my debut made me nervous. There were hopes of many riding on my fight - family, coaches and other boxers watching me. They would have questioned my decision to turn pro had I lost. The boxers considering turning pro would have been demoralised too. But then again, it is too early to celebrate. Abhi toh party shuru hui hain!
Did you celebrate after the win or plan toIJ
I took a bath when I returned. Drank warm milk and went to sleep. This is just the beginning, nothing to celebrate just yet.
You were confident and on the offense throughout the fight to win by a technical knockout. Perfect start, isn't itIJ
The referee stopped the bout because he wasn't fighting back and that's considered a technical knockout as per the rules. After the fight he told me he's seen me perform in the Asian Games, the Olympics and wished me luck for the future. There was no animosity between us.
How much did the crowd and the bhangra music helpIJ
I loved the crowd support with many Indians turning up. Honestly, I didn't expect so many Indians coming in and yelling for me. They sometimes made more noise than the British crowd too. After the win, both Indian and British people came and congratulated me.
What nextIJ
My next fight is on October 30 in Harrow. The opponent is not decided yet but it will be revealed soon.
Who would you credit for the winIJ
I would credit everyone - friends, family, coaches, team, the Indian media and the critics too. The critics inspire me to keep getting better.