The 29-year-old, known for his flamboyant persona both inside and outside the ring, is unfazed by the younger competition that awaits him in the Delhi event and rejects all talk of age being a factor.
He is the only defending champion in the 10-member Indian boxing team for the Commonwealth Games and a battle-hardened Akhil Kumar (56kg) is aiming to script history by becoming the first pugilist from the country to strike two successive golds at the event.
The 29-year-old, known for his flamboyant persona both inside and outside the ring, is unfazed by the younger competition that awaits him in the Delhi event and rejects all talk of age being a factor.
"All those who talk about age should remember that we have had Olympic champions in 30s. Age is nothing if the boxer is physically and, most importantly, mentally fit to compete," Akhil told PTI in an interview.
The Haryana-boxer, who created a flutter by getting the better of the then world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been battling indifferent form and numerous fitness problems for over a year.
The first-round exit from the Commonwealth Championships this year was just one of the several disappointments that he had to face but he bounced back to recover from minor niggles and retained his place in the team during the trials.
"It has been tough but then who said boxing is easy?. Whether you win or lose, you have to take blows on the chin. I have taken that," he laughed.
"This Commonwealth Games, the competition would be the toughest in the bantam weight division but I have always liked
t this way. I want to beat the best to get the best and that
is gold," he said.
Known to speak his mind irrespective of the repercussions, Akhil hit the headlines the day he landed in the Games Village here when his bed collapsed leading to frenzied media coverage.
"Controversies have made me fight better because I have had to back up my words," said the Haryana-lad when asked about the numerous furores he has created with his outspokenness.
His audacious open guard inside the ring draws as much applause as criticism but Akhil says it is just another style of fighting and there is nothing flamboyant in it.
"It's all about winning at the end of the day. If I win, the open guard would be considered a stroke of genius and everyone would applaud the daredevilry but if I lose, it would be considered silly and flamboyant," he explained.
"But to me it's just the way I am. I like to keep my guard low and dare my rivals whether it is inside or outside the ring," he quipped.
Asked about England's 18-year-old sensation Iain Weaver, who beat him in the first round of the Commonwealth Championships earlier this year, Akhil said, "He is my junior and has a long way to go. There is a difference of 10 years. Let's see what happens if we come face to face this time.
"I am hungry for a big win and hopefully this would come in front of my home crowd. I am competing despite all the injury breakdowns because I know I can deliver."
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