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India's Vijender Singh signs multiyear deal with Top Rank

Super middleweight Vijender Singh, a three-time Olympian from India, signed a multiyear promotional contract with Top Rank on Monday, the company announced.

Singh (10-0, 7 KOs), 33, represented India in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics, taking home a bronze medal from the 2008 Beijing Games.

Top Rank said Singh will make his debut for the company in early 2019.

Singh, who had been co-promoted by England's Frank Warren, turned pro in 2015 and has fought all of his fights England or India save for one bout in Ireland. Now he is coming to fight in the United States.

"Top Rank is very excited to enter into a contract with Vijender," Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. "We intend to make him a big star in the United States and look forward to him participating in major events in India, where he is already a major superstar."

Due to his amateur boxing success Singh became a celebrity in India, including appearances in Bollywood films and on the popular Indian dance reality show, "Nach Baliye."

Singh, aiming to become India's first professional boxing world titleholder, has not boxed since December and said he is ready to get back to work.

"I am really excited to be on board with Bob Arum and Top Rank," Singh said. "I have always wanted to work with someone who is the best in the business, and I know Top Rank has been the driving force behind boxing's biggest superstars, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and Miguel Cotto. I am eagerly waiting a date for my U.S. debut to take on the world and keep the Indian flag on the world boxing map fluttering high. I also want to thank Mr. Neerav Tomar and IOS Boxing Promotions for helping get me to this point of my professional career, and I look forward to working with Top Rank."

Tomar, the leading boxing promoter in India, said Top Rank was their first choice for an American promotional partner.

"There was only one choice when we decided to go with a promoter in United States, and Bob has done so much for professional boxers over the years and has been instrumental in building the careers of so many of the best boxers in the world today," Tomar said. "We are honored to be promoted by him, and we look forward to a great future and shaping Vijender as a force to be reckoned with in the world of professional boxing."

During the 2008 Olympics, Singh defeated Badou Jack, who went on to win pro world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight. His 2008 Olympic bronze medal made him India's first-ever boxing medalist. He also claimed a bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships, where he defeated current middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko, and a gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games.

Singh is the second Indian fighter Top Rank has signed in the past few days. On Friday, the company announced it signed two-time Olympian Vikas "The Indian Tank" Krishan, the most decorated amateur boxer in Indian history, to a multi-year deal. Krishan, a junior middleweight, who is the only Indian fighter to win gold medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games, will make his professional debut on Jan. 18 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, on the ESPN card headlined by heavyweight contender Bryant Jennings.