Indian boxing star Vijender Singh, who competes in his first six rounds contest this Saturday night at the Manchester Arena, says he won't need the extra rounds to finish off experienced Hungarian Samet Hyuseinov in his third professional bout.
The fast rising middleweight star from Bhiwani, in Haryana, has steamed through his first two professional opponents since turning pro after a highly decorated amateur career culminating in bronze at the 2008 Olympics Games.
Dusting off Sonny Whiting in three rounds in October and then Dean Gillen inside one in November and with a reluctance of domestic fighters wanting to face Singh, an international opposition has been selected for Vijender Singh's last fight of the year with Bulgaria's Hyuseinov taking up the challenge.
Vijender doesn't see it going beyond three rounds against Hyuseinov.
"I feel in tremendous shape and ready to punch holes in Hyuseinov on Saturday night," Said Vijender.
"It's another progression in my boxing career to move up to six rounds, but I really don't feel I'll need them against Hyuseinov.
"While it's good to get rounds and experience under my belt I want excitement and knockouts, the rounds will come as we move up into title fights, right now I want to take opponents out as quickly as I can, three rounds, maybe, against Hyuseinov.
"He won't be in for the distance against me that's for sure, once I start lining him up with the jabs and get my distance and then start dropping big hard rights in, he won't be lasting too long."
However Hyuseinov says he'll teach Vijender a painful lesson for dismissing him as an easy job and disrespecting him.
"For all his insults I will make him pay," Said Hyuseinov.
"He is just a two-fight kid, two fights and he's talking like he's a world champion. This man has been disrespectful to me and questioned my fighting ability by saying that he will knockout me out before six rounds, what a joke, for that I will make sure that I hurt him.
"Nobody will talk to me as if I am a journeyman and I will not let a raw novice boxer, who in my eyes is just a play actor boxer and should stick to acting in films, say he will knock me out.
"Watch on Saturday, he says he doesn't need six rounds to knock me out, but I will hit him for six.
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In the immediate future, however, Vijender could be in for a face-off with the reigning Commonwealth champion Luke Blackledge, who turned down the offer to fight in last night's event.
"There are a lot of options for Vijender. After this fight, he will have a world ranking of top 15 in the WBO and it is a question whether he will keep climbing the ranking by fighting guys in the top 15 or keep hold of that belt, he has to defend that belt within 120 days or we go after Luke, who is the Commonwealth champion," Warren said.
"I think that's a great story and a great fight and I am confident Vijender will win that fight. Luke was supposed to fight here, but he did not fancy coming here so maybe he will fancy it even less now after this great fight," he quipped.
Vijender, on his part, is savouring the 'Singh is King' moment on the first anniversary of his pro career.
"Singh is King, finally I have done it. I have won the title. I am very happy and everybody cheered for me. Thank you all. This belt means a lot of things. It is all about hard work, dedication and it is all about my country. It is just the beginning," said the affable six-footer from Haryana, who continues to be the biggest name in Indian boxing even after bidding adieu to his amateur career.
"This was the longest fight of my career, finally I completed 10 rounds. I did not expect it but the knockout was not happening so I thought of going for 10 rounds. I want to take good rest. We will see after that," he added.
Despite the huge significance of last night's win, Vijender refused to club it alongside or put it above the historic Olympic bronze medal which made him a household name in India.
"It is because of the Olympic medal that I am here. People know Vijender Singh because of the medal, before that no one knew me. That Olympic medal is very special for me, even this belt is special for me but this is different," he said.
Also in his moment of glory, Vijender did not forget to laud his gritty opponent, Kerry Hope, who did manage to impress the packed stadium by holding his own for 10 rounds.
"He (Hope) is an experienced guy. I respect him. He is a good fighter," he said.
Vijender's Indian promoters Infinity Optimal Solutions (IOS) head Neerav Tomar said the phenomenal response to the bout had left him stunned to an extent.
"This is still sinking in, what happened today, it is still giving me goosebumps. We all compare it to cricket but I don't think cricket can come anywhere close to the atmosphere we had today," Tomar said.
