Mary Kom is easily one of the greatest sporting legends India has produced. Although she underwent an ACL tear surgery, the boxing superstar said on Sunday that she still has at least three to four years to pursue a professional career. Mary Kom, who was in charge of the oversight committee looking into allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), did not address the ongoing crisis.

Kom picked up an ACL injury during the 2022 Commonwealth Games trials in June last year, shortly after the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The six-time world champion said she is feeling much better and will recover 100% soon. “(The) Injury is much better now. I can walk, run, though not on hard surface. I just started running on (a) tread mill,” Mary Kom told reporters after she was awarded the PC Chandra Puraskaar 2023 here

“I’m pushing myself. After one month, I’ll be fully fit and recovered. I’ll be ready to fight in the ring in two months’ time,” she said. Asked whether she will compete at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Mary Kom said, “This year I’ve a chance to compete in any competition. Next year by force, I’m not eligible.”

Her bid for a second Olympic medal is finished because she will be 40 in November and will thus be ineligible to compete in any international event, including the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Mary Kom, however, said that while rules can stop her from competing in another Olympics, “nobody can stop me from fighting”.

“By force I’m not eligible to fight in the Olympics because of the age limit. I’m very sorry for that. But I want to continue, keep fighting for another three-four years. I still have that confidence and willpower.

“I’m thinking, I can also become a pro. I’ve that confidence. Nobody can stop me from fighting.”

The boxing legend underwent surgery at a Mumbai hospital in August last year. Terming it as the worst phase of her career, Mary Kom said she would have preferred “death” to the painful phase.

India now continues to create history in the sport, winning four gold medals (Nitu Ghanghas, Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain and Saweety Boora) at the Women’s World Boxing Championships. In 2006, the quartet of Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny Lalremliani and Lekha KC had achieved the feat for the first time.