India’s star professional boxer Vijender Singh once touted fellow Haryanvi Vikas Krishan as the next big thing in Indian boxing.

Vikas has almost lived up to that tag, having won medals at the World Championships (bronze in 2011), Asian Games (gold in 2010, bronze in 2014 and 2018), Commonwealth Games (gold in 2018) and numerous other competitions, except at the all-important stage—the Olympics. He even turned pro (in 2019 and has been undefeated in two fights) just like Vijender but returned to the amateur fold to fulfil his ambition of winning an Olympic medal.