The battle to decide the 'King of Asia' will see WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight champion Vijender Singh take on China's No.1 boxer and WBO Oriental Super Middleweight champion Zulpikar Maimaitali for a double title fight at Mumbai's NSCI Dome on August 5.
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Both boxers will put their respective WBO titles at stake, but whoever wins the bout takes home his defended title along with his opponent's title. This fight between two of Asia's best will decide the ultimate 'King of Asia'.
Also Read:?Vijender Singh Plays Down His Opponent Ahead Of Bout, Calls Zulpikar Maimaitiali A Kid
The fight night will witness the presence of key Bollywood stars, sportspersons, politicians and other celebrities from various fields. Speaking on the fight night, Neerav Tomar, Promoter, IOS Boxing said: "We've already had two successful fights in New Delhi, it was about time we moved to a different city and what better option than the glamourous city of Mumbai. We are confident of putting up a great show for the people of Mumbai and boxing fans all around the world."
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Vijender, who is unbeaten since his debut in professional boxing, has fought eight bouts - the last one being against former world No1 Francis Cheka from Tanzania, when he defended his title. Vijender clinched his first title in July 2016. against Kerry Hope of Australia, becoming the WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight champion.
Seven of Vijender's eight bouts have been won by knock-outs. He has 30 rounds under his belt, which gives him a slight edge over his opponent, who has fought 24 rounds.
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"We had promised we are going to come to Mumbai soon and here we are, presenting my next bout to the people of Mumbai, the city is full of positive vibes and people here are very welcoming. I am waiting to enter the ring on 5 August and have the loudest cheer in my support," said Vijender last week.
"Zulpikar is like a child for me, I think he is speaking too much before the match. He does not know who he will be facing in the ring. I will let him do the talking till the final day, and he will get all his answers in the ring. I am training hard from last three months for this fight and on August 5 I will make my country proud by winning one more title."
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Zulpikar - who turned to professional boxing in April 2015 - was no less assured of his chances. "I am very thrilled to fight Vijender, I will prove to be a nightmare for him, I will make sure the title of the ultimate king of Asian boxing goes to me," said the boxer, who confessed to being a fan of Hindi films since the age of 15, with Aamir Khan his favourite actor.
'Battleground Asia' will also see, apart from Vijender, Olympic quarter-finalists Akhil Kumar and Jitender Kumar in the ring together for the first time. The other boxers to feature are WBC Asia Welterweight champion Neeraj Goyat, Pardeep Kharera, Dharmender Grewal and Kuldeep Dhanda.
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Tickets for 'Battleground Asia' are priced from Rs. 1200/- to Rs. 12,000 and are available on www.bookmyshow.com. Ringside tickets are divided into three categories - Diamond, Gold and Silver which are priced at Rs 12000, 8000 and 3000 respectively. The other seats available for the audience would be Bronze stand for 1500, Purple stand and Blue stand for 1200. IOS Boxing Promotions and BookMyShow are also offering an early bird discount of 20% from July 1-20.
The first ticket was presented to Sachin Tendulkar Vijender at his residence in Mumbai. "It was extremely thoughtful of Vijender to come and present me the first ticket and I hope he continues his winning streak. I would like to wish him all the very best as he is doing an excellent job of being India's flag bearer in the world of pro-boxing," said Tendulkar.
Earlier this year, Vijender was voted Mahindra Scorpio Tough and Rugged Boxer of the Year (People's Choice) at the second Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) in Mumbai.