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Akhil Kumar
The President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam presenting the Arjuna Award -2005 to Shri Akhil Kumar for Boxing, at a glittering function in New Delhi on August 29, 2006. The Union Sports Minister Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar is also seen.jpg
President Kalam presenting Arjuna Award to Akhil Kumar.
Personal information
Nationality Indian
Citizenship Indian
Born (1981-03-27) 27 March 1981 (age 44)
Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India
Residence Rohtak, Haryana, India
Occupation Boxer Bantamweight
Height 168 cm
Medal record
Men's boxing
Representing  India
Commonwealth Games
Gold 2006 Melbourne Bantamweight
Asian Championships
Bronze 2007 Ulan Bator Bantamweight

Akhil Kumar (born 27 March 1981) is a famous Indian boxer. He has won many awards both in India and around the world. He is known for his special "open guarded" boxing style, which means he keeps his hands lower than most boxers, making his fights exciting to watch. In 2005, the Indian government honored him with the Arjuna Award, which is a big award for sports achievements.

Akhil Kumar also helps with sports in India. From 2017 to 2019, he worked as a National Observer for boxing, helping to watch over the sport. He is also a member of important committees like the High Powered Committee of Khelo India, which helps develop sports talent. He has also been part of the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), which makes sure athletes play fair.

He is a member of the Haryana Police Service and works as a police officer.

Career

XIX Commonwealth Games-2010 Delhi (Boxing 56Kg) Akhil Kumar of India in an action against Qadir Khan of Pakistan, at Talkatora Stadium, in New Delhi on October 07, 2010
Akhil Kumar boxing at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Early Career (1994–2003)

Akhil Kumar started boxing internationally in 1999. He won a gold medal at the 6th YMCA Junior International Boxing Championship. In 2001, he won another gold medal at an invitational boxing event in Russia. By 2003, he had won a gold medal in the flyweight category. Overall, in his early career, he won twelve gold medals, one silver, and four bronze medals. He was also named "Best Boxer" three times.

Olympic Journey and Commonwealth Success (2004–2006)

In 2004, Akhil Kumar qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. He earned his spot by finishing second at a qualifying tournament in China. Although he lost in the first round at the Olympics, he continued to train hard.

In 2005, he won a gold medal at the 4th Commonwealth Federation Boxing Championships in Scotland. He won a very close fight in the 54 kg final.

His biggest win came at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. He won the gold medal in the Bantamweight 54 kg category. In the final match, he beat Bruno Julie from Mauritius. He started strong, landing six punches without getting hit in the first round. He kept a good lead throughout the fight to secure the gold.

Beijing Olympics and World Cup (2008)

Akhil Kumar qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. He had a great run, even beating a silver medalist from the 2004 Olympics in a qualifying event.

At the Beijing Olympics, he reached the second round in the Bantamweight 54 kg category. He then surprised everyone by beating the World Champion, Sergey Vodopyanov. The score was tied at the end, but the judges decided Akhil won because he landed more punches. He lost in the quarter-finals, but it was still a fantastic performance.

Later in 2008, he competed in the AIBA World Cup in Moscow. He won a bronze medal there, showing he was one of the top boxers in the world.

London Olympics (2012)

Unfortunately, Akhil Kumar could not compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He had an injury and could not lose enough weight in time for the qualifying tournament.

Awards

Akhil Kumar received the prestigious Arjuna award in 2005 for his excellent achievements in boxing.

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