Veteran Boxer Zsofia Bedo Threatens To Knock Out Sarita Devi In Pro Boxing

Hungarian Zsofia Bedo, L Sarita Devi's rival in her debut pro boxing fight, on Tuesday threw a challenge at the Indian and said "Sarita is not going to last all the four rounds". The former world champion Sarita Devi, who doesn't believe in war of words, was forced to respond by saying "you are finished". They are set to clash in Imphal on Sunday. Zsofia further said, "I tried to know more about my opponent. When you search for boxer Sarita, you find pictures of a lady in tears. I am going to add more such images to internet. Trust me."

When pointed that Sarita has been among India's best amateur boxers, who has won many laurels for the nation, the Hungarian veteran of 59 professional bouts reacted by saying, "Professional boxing is a different world altogether. Here it's going to be a fight to finish - 12 minutes and four rounds are going to be a lifetime for that lady and I don't see her lasting that long.

"I am coming from a place where we believe in complete knock-outs even during training. There are not going to be soft punches for scoring points. Even if trainers had told Sarita this reality, experience in the ring is going to be painful for a long time to forget," challenged Zsofia.

Sarita is preparing for the bout under the seasoned IBC coach Joe Clough of US, at SAI's Centre for Excellence National Boxing Academy at Rohtak, Haryana.

The Police Services Officer from Manipur is leaving no stones unturned for a favourable result on the biggest day of her sporting career. "I run an academy near Imphal. Young aspirants look up to me as a role model. The city is going to support me in a big number. I can't let them down," said Sarita Devi from her camp at Rohtak.

"Zsofia has experience. But she too has suffered defeats in the ring. Joe (the coach) has made me sweat so hard that if there will be blood in the ring. I am confident who is going to bleed. There have been days when I have sparred against two opponents. I promise, I will not let my city, my state and my country down," said a confident Sarita Devi.