Vijender Singh Promises Fitting Reply to Sonny Whiting's Threats

Laughing off his rival's warnings of a brutal welcome to the professional circuit, star Indian boxer Vijender Singh on Tuesday said he would give a fitting reply to Sonny Whiting not with words but with his punches in the ring.

Vijender, India's first Olympic and World Championships medallist, will take on Whiting here on October 10 in his eagerly-anticipated professional debut.

Whiting has said that he would deliver a brutal message to the Indian on his debut.

"Let him say what he wants, I don't like talking much. I prefer to talk through my punches in the ring. That's my style," a laughing Vijender told PTI.

Confident of a winning start to his pro career, Vijender said he does not know much about the 27-year-old Brit but that is not a major concern.

"I will speak to my trainer Lee Beard about it. Lee knows him well, so he will get me ready for facing up to him. But I also have my own style and I am pretty confident about how I fight as well," he said.

"I have got more than a week to prepare for him and that is enough time to read him and his game. That's enough time and I am very sure that I would win this bout," he added.

Whiting is three bouts old in the pro circuit and has a 2-1 overall record so far in the middleweight division.

Whiting, who trains under former pro boxer Johnny Greaves, said he is confident of upstaging the celebrated Indian.

"I don't care who is in front of me on the night, they're going to get beaten, plain and simple. I hear that Singh is a massive superstar in India, well I'll be looking to send a brutal message back to his home when I beat him," Whiting said.

"He's entering the world of the professionals now and it's going to be hard for him, he might have done plenty in the amateurs but that will count for nothing now. I'll make sure I give him a good welcome," added the six-footer, who has one knockout win to his credit so far.