Boxer Vijender confident of continuing winning streak

Indian boxing sensation Vijender Singh has promised his fans another big knockout win when he takes on French pugilist Matiouze Royer on his return to the Copper Box Arena in Stratford here on Saturday.

Vijender, who has defeated all four of his opponents by knockout, performed at the Copper Box Arena as an amateur in 2012 where he reached the quarter-finals of the London Olympics.

"I thoroughly enjoyed fighting in Stratford as an amateur. The Copper Box Arena is an amazing venue to fight at and I'm really looking forward returning and putting on another explosive performance for my fans in England and India," Vijender said in a statement on Thursday.

The 30-year-old from Haryana will face his toughest challenge to date in the experienced Royer, who is a veteran of 44 fights.

Royer has only been stopped twice in a career spanning over seven years and will be aimimg to spoil the party when he makes his second appearance on British soil.

Vijender knows he will have to be at his very best if he is to overcome his latest oppoennet.

"Saturday night is going to be tough, Royer has 250 gruelling rounds under his belt compared to my nine. I know he's capable of mixing it up and making life difficult for me but he won't have a reply for my knockout power," he said.

"Once I start landing on him it'll be all over, there's no doubt about that. I'm not going in to this fight looking for a big knockout but I'm predicting another big finish. If the opportunity comes to take him out, I'll grab it with both hands," the Bhiwani lad added.

If Vijender carries on his impressive knockout streak, he may be rewarded with a mega-fight with British boxing star Amir Khan.

Khan, a two-time former world champion, has a glitterring career which includes 31 wins, three losses and 19 knockouts. He is expected to face one of the biggest challenges of his career when he steps up in weight to take on Mexican boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in what could be a career defining fight.

The Bolton hero has said that he would love to take on fellow Olympic star Vijender in a blockbuster showdown in India in the future.

"That's good, I'm very interested in that fight. I'd accept the challenge 100 percent. Obviously there's the difference in weight but I'm sure we could get that sorted somewhere down the line if I carry on progressing. It would be absolutely huge in India," Vijender said.

--IANS

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