Former world boxing champion and Asian Games bronze-medallist L Sarita Devi is set to become the first woman-boxer from the country to turn professional, PTI reported on Monday.
The 31-year-old signed a two-year deal with Sporty Boxing Private Limited, a licensing body for professional boxers in India. Sarita could make her debut on January 19 next year against a yet-to-be-named foreign opponent, the report added.
Sarita, though, clarified that she will continue to fight in the amateur circuit, if the Boxing Federation of India allows her.
“I have been competing in the amateur circuit for a long time, more than a decade. I won medals in all the events barring Olympics. Now, I feel I want to try something new so I have decided to turn professional,” the lightweight (60kg) boxer was quoted as saying.
Sarita added that she still harboured hopes of competing in the 2018 Asian Games to avenge “the wrong done to her at the 2014 Games in Incheon”, where she refused to accept her bronze medal in protest after her semi-final loss. She was handed a year-long ban after the protest, which saw her dramatically break down on the podium.
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