NEWS
Such is the story of the Asian boxing champion, Pooja Rani. Just like her name, she is the queen of boxing in India. Did you know that she was too shy to even wear gloves in the beginning? From her first bout to her period of struggle, and eventual glory, Pooja Rani has had an interesting life. Today, we find more about the journey of this inspiring champion.
Full Name | Pooja Rani Boora |
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Age | 30 |
Sport Category | Boxing -Middleweight (75 kg) |
Date of Birth | 17 February 1991 |
Hometown | Nimriwali, Bhiwani, Haryana, India |
Height | 170 c.m, 5'8' |
Weight | 75 Kg |
Coach | Sanjay Singh |
Achievement | Bronze medal in 2014 Asian Games (75 kg). Gold medal in South Asian Games 2016. Silver (2012) and Bronze (2015) in Asian Championship (75 kg). Gold medal in 2019 (81 kg) & 2021 (75 kg) Asian Boxing Championship |
Networth | $1 million – $6 million |
Parent | Damyanti Devi and Rajbir Singh |
Alma Mater | Hawa Singh Boxing Academy |
Early Life of Pooja Rani
Pooja Rani first tried boxing at the insistence of her college teacher’s wife. She felt Pooja’s tall frame will be very beneficial in the sport. Though Pooja was hesitant and shy to even wear the gloves, she gave it a shot. Her father is a policeman who was strongly against this choice. Pooja joined the Hawa Singh Academy in Bhiwani without telling him. She started training under coach Sanjay Singh.
Image Credits: Gulf Source
For any child, the support of his/her parents is a crucial part. Unfortunately for Rani, her parents weren’t happy with her decision of pursuing boxing. Coming from the cradle of sports in India, they weren’t against her opting for a career in sports. However, his father found boxing to be too aggressive. He was also worried about injuries due to the nature of the sport. Pooja Rani was firm on her decision and relentlessly tried to convince her parents. She used to stay at her friend’s place to hide her boxing injuries.
“’Maar lag jaaegi (you will get hurt)’, that’s what my father said. He insisted that the sport was not meant for me because, in his mind, boxing was pursued by aggressive people,” she recalled during an interview with Indian Express.
After almost six months, her parents finally caved in. Things took a turn for the better then and they have wholeheartedly supported their talented daughter ever since. Her coach, Sanjay Kumar, also helped her in convincing her parents.
Her silver medal at the National Youth Boxing Championships convinced her parents of her inherent talent. Soon she started winning numerous medals and titles at the state and national levels.
Image Credits: Hindustan Times
Pooja continued her medal-winning run for the next few years. She started making waves at the international level as well. Her Asian Games bronze medal catapulted her fame instantly. She also added Asian Championships silver and bronze to her repertoire.
However, her golden run was interrupted by injuries. In an interview with the FirstPost, she explained the situation.
I decided to go for physiotherapy and thankfully it worked for me. Looking back, I am glad I stood firm against the doctors’ advice. But I was alone with no backing. So it was quite normal to think I was finished. Thankfully it’s not.”
Pooja knew she was far from finished. She made her comeback in 2019 and what a comeback that was!
Pooja won the gold medal in the 81 kg category at the Asian Boxing Championships 2019 & 2021 (75 kg). She is the first Indian woman to achieve this feat. Pooja Rani defeated Wang Lina from China in a tough fight to get the top honor in 2019 and in 2021 she defeated Mavluda Movlonova in the women’s 75kg category final in Dubai.
She was quoted by the Times of India after the win,
“It feels so good to hear the word ‘champion’ next to my name. On top of that, I beat the reigning world champion in the final. It gives me confidence.”
Tokyo Olympics 2020 is the next target for Pooja Rani. With renewed energy and great dreams in her eyes, she is focusing on conquering the pinnacle of sports success. Since, the new categories for women’s boxing in the Olympics are 51 kg, 57 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg, and 75 kg, Pooja has decided to drop her weight to compete.
We have complete faith in our Rani (Queen) and cannot wait for her to bring Olympic glory!
In her interview with the Times of India, Pooja applauded the efforts of the Haryana Government in supporting state athletes. She was quoted,
You don’t see too many people from affluent backgrounds in a sport like boxing. People come here from a lower-middle-class background, and for them, a job and money are important. In this game, injuries are inevitable. So, it is important to secure your future. That’s something Haryana does for you.
Year | Place | Event | Medal |
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2014 | Incheon, South Korea | Middleweight | Bronze |
Year | Place | Event | Medal |
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2019 & 2021 | Bangkok, Thailand, Dubai U.A.E | Light Heavyweight | Gold |
2015 | Wulanchabu, China | Middleweight | Bronze |
2012 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | Middleweight | Silver |
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