Nishant Dev, World Championship bronze medallist boxer and Paris Olympian, turns professional
Nishant Dev, World Championship bronze medallist boxer and Paris Olympian, turns professional
World championship bronze medallist Indian boxer Nishant Dev has turned professional, the pugilist announced on Friday.
“I’m very excited to be joining Matchroom Boxing and beginning my professional career in Las Vegas on January 25th,” Dev, who represented India at the Paris Olympics and bowed out in the quarterfinals, wrote on Instagram.
The event is headlined by a super middleweight bout between Steve Nelson and Diego Pacheco.
“My goal is to become India’s first ever world professional boxing champion and I know I have a whole nation behind me to help me achieve this.”
“I’m working hard every day with my trainer Ronald Simms. I know I have the right team behind me and the biggest promoter in the world to ensure that I reach the very top in the sport,” he said.
Dev’s amateur career includes a Light Middleweight bronze at the 2023 World Championships which came in Tashkent, Uzbekistan after losing to eventual champion and local Aslanbek Shymbergenov.
Reflecting on his amateur journey, Dev said: “I enjoyed my time as an amateur boxer and competed at the very highest level in the Olympics and winning a World Championship medal. But now, I’m ready for this new chapter in my career.
“The journey to the World Championship starts in Las Vegas on January 25th!” he added. With his move, Dev follows the footsteps of Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh.
(With PTI inputs)
