All eyes are expected to be glued to TV sets when India's own Vijender Singh takes on Dean Gillen in his second pro boxing bout on Saturday in Dublin.
The fight between the Bhiwani pugilist and the part-time firefighter from Britain is scheduled for four rounds in the middleweight division. While Vijender comes to the fight at the back of a 1-0-0 record in pro boxing, Gillen comes with a 2-0-0 record, which gives him a slight upper hand.
On paper, Nottingham's Gillen looks more experienced, but boxing bouts have never been won on paper, unless they feature Floyd Mayweather. Vijender made headlines and sent waves across pro-boxing circles after his TKO (technical knock-out) win over Sonny Whiting at the Manchester Arena last month.
The 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist in boxing (middleweight category) used his left cross and a technical right jab to force the referee to stop the fight in the third round, with 47 seconds remaining on the clock, to record an emphatic victory.
Now, looking ahead to his second fight under renowned coach Lee Beard and new promoter Neerav Tomar, Vijender already seems geared up and keen on turning the back spotlight on himself.
"I'm getting a really good buzz being in Dublin, and the city has really taken me in. I can't wait for Saturday night and give the fans a good night of action," the 30-year-old was quoted by PTI as saying.
"I've been over here once before, after the 2012 London Olympics, and trained with the Irish amateur boxing team, and I had a brilliant time then, so it's fantastic to finally return to actually fight here for the first time and show what I can do," he said.
Recording another comfortable win against Gillen doesn't look easy by any means, and the Deputy Superintendent of Police from Haryana is aware of that. "I'll see what Gillen brings to the ring against me. He's another challenge, so he'll make me raise my game and perform," said Vijender. "I've been in the gym perfecting and improving, and I'll be looking to put on something a little bit special for the Irish fans."
For Gillen, 33, it's all about the mental game. "I'm mentally a lot tougher than I used to be. I suppose that maturity comes with age," the Englishman was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
"Vijender is a superstar. I saw him at the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. And when my colleagues first heard I was to fight him they couldn't believe it. I know I will be the underdog, but even if I lose, I need to lose well," Gillen added.
Vijender Singh vs Dean Gillen: Fight Schedule
Weight division: Middleweight.
Total rounds: Four.
Date: 7 November, 2015.
Venue: National Stadium, Dublin.
TIme: 5 pm BST onwards (11 pm IST).
TV listings: Sony Six, Sony Six HD, Sony Kix (India), BoxNation (UK).
