India's Vijender becomes world's top-ranked boxer in middle weight category

New Delhi, Sep. 29 (ANI): Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist Vijender Singh has become the world's top-ranked boxer in the middle weight (75kg) category.

"I am obviously elated at being ranked the highest in the world. It's a fantastic feeling and would motivate me to do better in future events," Vijender said.

The 23-year-old Bhiwani-based boxer, who won India's maiden World Championships medal in Milan earlier this month, has been ranked higher (with 2700 points) than the reigning champion Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan.

Atoev, to whom Vijender lost in the World Championship semi-finals, is third in the list with 2100 points. Olympic silver medallist Emilio Correa Bayeux (2500) of Cuba occupies the second spot in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA).

However, former world youth champion Thokchom Nanao Singh has slipped three places to eighth with 1400 points in the light flyweight (48kg) category.

Olympian Akhil Kumar, whose World Championships campaign was cut short in the first round itself due to a wrist injury, has gone down a rung to 10th in feather weight (57kg) category with 1050 points.

Fellow Olympian Jitender Kumar (54kg) also lost some ground because of his first-round exit in Milan as he dropped a place to 14th with 838 points.

Suranjoy Singh was 17th in the fly weight (51kg) category rankings.

World Championship quarterfinalist Dinesh Kumar held on to his sixth spot with 1550 points in the light weight (81kg) category. (ANI)