New Delhi:
Within a few months of jumping a division to feather weight (57kg), Olympian Akhil Kumar will return to bantam weight (56kg) due to a rejig of the divisions by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
Akhil, whose debut in feather weight was marred by a wrist injury in the ongoing World Championships in Milan, will return to bantam weight as AIBA has decided to do away with feather weight from the list of categories for men.
The number of categories have been reduced to 10 to accommodate the three categories of women's boxing that have been included in the 2012 Olympics.
"I am coming back to bantam weight which is now set at up to 56kg," the World Cup bronze medallist said.
"I could have jumped a division to light weight but it would have been very tough to adapt for the Commonwealth Games which are just a year away," he added.
The 27-year-old made the quarterfinals of Beijing Olympics in bantam weight and won a bronze medal in the World Cup before jumping a division this year.
Akhil's decision to go back to bantam weight puts him in direct competition with his long-time prodigy and another Olympic quarter finalist Jitender Kumar, who was a fly weight (51kg) boxer before shifting to bantam weight this year.
"We can work it out. Both of us can exist in the same division. We will just have to work out our schedules and which tournaments to compete," he added.
Akhil, whose debut in feather weight was marred by a wrist injury in the ongoing World Championships in Milan, will return to bantam weight as AIBA has decided to do away with feather weight from the list of categories for men.
The number of categories have been reduced to 10 to accommodate the three categories of women's boxing that have been included in the 2012 Olympics.
"I am coming back to bantam weight which is now set at up to 56kg," the World Cup bronze medallist said.
"I could have jumped a division to light weight but it would have been very tough to adapt for the Commonwealth Games which are just a year away," he added.
The 27-year-old made the quarterfinals of Beijing Olympics in bantam weight and won a bronze medal in the World Cup before jumping a division this year.
Akhil's decision to go back to bantam weight puts him in direct competition with his long-time prodigy and another Olympic quarter finalist Jitender Kumar, who was a fly weight (51kg) boxer before shifting to bantam weight this year.
"We can work it out. Both of us can exist in the same division. We will just have to work out our schedules and which tournaments to compete," he added.
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