Spartan, sparring partner, dreamer...

From tilling farmland to sparring his way to glory, pugilist Kuldeep Singh's story is both poignant and inspiring. That he has made it big — and how — is a saga of true grit and persistence.

On Friday, Singh beat Thailand's Anavrat Thongkrathok to reach the quarterfinals of the 81 kg boxing event at the Seonhak Stadium.

Given the fact that he took up boxing as a hobby, his achievement is remarkable to say the least. Growing up in deprivation, Singh used to dream big.

And none of the hardships life placed before him could deter him from pursuing his dream of becoming a sportsman. That he ended up as a boxer, more by accident than design, is a story in itself.

Boxing fascinated him. It was a good way to get over his frustration with life. He joined the Government Multipurpose Senior Secondary School in Patiala to chase his dream.

Impressed by his skill and determination, his coach Harpreet Singh took him to meet national coach Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu. The coach, always on the lookout for sparring partners, especially for celebrity boxers, shortlisted Singh as Vijender Singh's sparring partner. That was eight years ago.

From being sparring partner to joining the Indian Railways, Singh has come a long way.

"His dedication is amazing," says Sandhu. "He is very disciplined and hardworking. Impressed with his attitude, we kept him at the national camp."

Even though he was picked to spar with Vijender, the chance to represent the country in a mega event always eluded him. His weight, 75 kg, was both a boon and a bane.

Vijender, riding high on his bronze-winning exploits at the Beijing Olympic, always beat Singh to the lone spot in the team.

"Kuldeep is not a bad boxer," says Sandhu, "But we could not have replaced Vijender who won every time he stepped into the ring."

There were fights outside the ring as well. Singh considered himself to be the No. 1 boxer and felt he deserved more opportunities to represent India. And there was only one way to ensure that — gain weight. But even then, he was not assured of a place.

But as luck would have it, Sumit Sangwan suffered an injury and Singh got his chance. "I want to show that I am good," Singh said. The years of pain and frustration at not being picked up to represent India was apparent in his voice. But the realist in him never gave up.

"It is not easy to be Vijender's sparring partner. Just because I was in his category, I had to wait and wait. I thought my opportunity would never come. It's only because I am 81 kg that I am here," he said.

And now only a medal can satisfy him. Technically sound, cautious while attacking and agile, he moves around the canvas with ease, expertly warding off his opponent's counter.

On Friday, his dexterity against a shorter opponent was in full display. He ensured that his punches found their mark, a tad difficult if your opponent is shorter than you. Often, he had to adjust and stoop, and do all to prevent the crouching Thai from punching him from the inside.

"At times he was head-butting me," Singh said. "It is very difficult to fight a shorter boxer." Whether or not he manages to win a medal here, he has definitely impressed one and all.

But while Singh celebrated his win, compatriot Akhil Kumar left the arena dejected. The comeback man fought like a champion. His moves were swift, his punches were strong but his open guard cost him the match against Filipino Charly Suarez.

Kumar was leading until the last 22 seconds when a punch landed on his face and his gum guard flew away. If only he had not let his guard down!

Shiva Thapa, too, won his bout, beating Nadir from Pakistan via a technical knockout.

KNOW KULDEEP
Full name: Kuldeep Singh
Born: February 15, 1989
Height: 188cm
Weight: 81kg
Higher education: Kurukshetra University, Haryana