India’s Vijender Singh, who won a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, was appointed as a member of the Asian Boxing Council, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) announced on Saturday.
The 40-year-old Vijender Singh, who is India’s first Olympic medallist in boxing, has over two decades of experience, spanning both amateur and professional circuits.
“Just as we created history in Beijing, I am committed to working for the growth of Asian boxing, with a strong focus on Indian boxers and helping our athletes achieve even greater success in the future,” Vijender said following the announcement.
The Asian Boxing Council operates under the umbrella of the World Boxing Council. World Boxing is an international federation approved by the International Olympic Committee.
The Asian Boxing Council plays a key role in shaping the sport’s competitive and developmental framework and schedule across the Asian and Australasian regions.
Vijender remains one of India’s most recognisable names in boxing. Alongside his historic Olympic bronze, he won gold at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou after securing bronze at the 2006 edition in Doha. He is also a three-time Commonwealth Games medallist, claiming silver at Melbourne 2006 and Glasgow 2014, and bronze at Delhi 2010.
After transitioning to professional boxing in 2015, Vijender compiled an impressive 13-1 record, with nine of his wins coming via knockout. His last professional bout came in 2022, when he defeated Ghana’s Eliasu Sulley by knockout.
Last year, Vijender was also included in the Indian government’s Sports Expert Panel, contributing to athlete development, governance and sports infrastructure initiatives.