If the last bout was a signal of intent, this bout should indeed be the signal of arrival to the illustrious pro boxing scene for Vijender Singh. The Indian pugilist, who turned from an amateur to a pro earlier this year, is facing Brit Dean Gillen in his second boxing match as a pro on Saturday.
The middleweight bout is scheduled for four rounds, and is going to be held at the National Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
The 2008 Olympic Bronze medallist in boxing comes at the back of a stunning TKO (technical knock-out) win against Sonny Whiting last month at the Manchester Arena, and he is looking for a greater impact in his second fight today.
However, it won't be an easy challenge by any means for Vijender to get past Gillen tonight. The 33-year-old Brit comes at the back of two-straight wins in his previous two pro boxing bouts, and that is something the Indian boxer has to be wary of.
Having said that, in the experience contest, Vijender wins the fight hands-down. The 30-year-old Vijender has been making waves in the amateur boxing circuit from his early 20s, but it was only in 2010 that Gillen took to serious boxing, before making his pro debut in May this year.
Gillen aimed to turn a pro boxer only after getting to fulfil his dream of bagging a gold in the Police and Firefighters Games, and that was exactly what happened. The veteran of the Nottingham fire service achieved the middleweight crown in the games in 2013.
The prospect of seeing a veteran firefighter take on a Deputy Superintendent of Police (Haryana, India) is a mouthwatering affair on paper, and one thing is for sure -- respect will be a key element in the fight as it gets under way. At least, that's what can be made out from their weigh-in before the fight.
Vijender, on his part, is all set to provide immense action-packed entertainment to the Indian audience as well as the boxing fans around the world.
Live streaming options & TV guides for the pro boxing bout (Where to watch live)
The four-round middleweight bout between Vijender Singh and Dean Gillen at the National Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, is headlined by the WBO European Super-Middleweight Championship Bout between Jamie Cox and Ferenc Albert.
The fights start 5pm BST (9:30 pm IST) onwards.
Indian audience can catch the mouthwatering action between Vijender and Gillen from 11 pm IST on Sony Six and Sony Six HD. Online streaming of the pro boxing bout is available on LivSports.
BoxNation (Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546 and Talk Talk 415) will make the pro boxing bouts available in the UK and Ireland. Online streaming is made available on LiveSport. Also, the fights can be watched on the official android and iOS app of BoxNation.
