JamesTex at 05:36, 12 September 2025

2025-09-12T05:36:09Z

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{{short description|Indian boxer (died 2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox boxer
| name = Kaur Singh
| image =
| caption =
| realname =
| weight = [[Heavyweight]]
| height =
| reach =
| nationality = Indian
| birth_date = 1948/1949
| birth_place = Khanal Khurd, Sangrur, [[East Punjab]], [[Dominion of India|India]]
| death_date = {{death date and given age|2023|04|27|74|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Kurukshetra]], [[Haryana]], India
| style = [[Orthodox stance|Orthodox]]
| total =
| wins =
| KO =
| losses =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[amateur boxing]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1982 Asian Games|1982 New Delhi]] | [[Boxing at the 1982 Asian Games|Heavyweight]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Amateur Boxing Championships|Asian Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold | 1980 | Heavyweight}}
| show-medals = yes
}}

'''Kaur Singh''' ({{langx|pa|ਕੌਰ ਸਿੰਘ}}; 1948/1949 – 27 April 2023) was an Indian heavyweight champion [[Boxer (boxing)|boxer]] from [[Punjab]]. Singh won three gold medals for senior national boxing championship, [[Asian Amateur Boxing Championships|Asian Boxing Championship]] and [[Asian Games]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Here's the unheard story of Kaur Singh, the farmer from Punjab who fought Muhammad Ali |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/the-woes-of-indian-boxer-kaur-singh/articleshow/53226958.cms |work=[[Business Insider]] |archive-date=28 April 2023 |access-date=20 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428121616/https://www.businessinsider.in/the-woes-of-indian-boxer-kaur-singh/articleshow/53226958.cms |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=How the Army Rushed to the Rescue of a Forgotten Boxing Hero - Twice! |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/125091/army-boxing-hero-kaur-singh/ |work=[[The Better India]] |date=20 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Forgotten Boxing hero Kaur Singh raising loan from money lenders for medical treatment |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/forgotten-boxing-hero-kaur-singh-raising-loan-from-money-lenders-medical-treatment-1105295-2017-12-11 |work=[[India Today]] |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Singh was born in a [[Jat Sikh]] Family of village Khanal Khurd in Sangrur, [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]'s Malwa region. He was a small-time farmer before joining the Indian army in 1973 as havildar at the age of 23 where he participated in the [[Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts|India-Pakistan war]]; and was awarded [[Sena Medal]] for his bravery and received the Vishisht Sewa Medal in 1988.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arjuna Award |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/boxing/Kaur-Singh-who-fought-Muhammad-Ali-did-not-allow-his-children-to-take-up-sports/articleshow/53220647.cms |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

== Boxing career ==
In 1979, Singh won a gold medal at the senior national boxing championship and remained the holder of the gold medal for four years till 1983.<ref>{{cite web |title=कभी बॉक्सर मोहम्मद अली से किया था मुकाबला, अब जी रहे ऐसे बदहाली की जिंदगी |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/news/PUN-AMR-OMC-LCL-arjun-award-and-padma-shri-award-winner-boxer-kaur-singh-5767941-PHO.html |website=Dainik Bhaskar |language=hi |date=13 December 2017}}</ref>

In 1980, Singh won a gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championship in [[Mumbai]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kaur Singh, a gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championship in 1980 |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sport/when-punjab-s-kaur-singh-traded-punches-with-the-legend/247086.html |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)]] |archive-date=2 April 2019 |access-date=20 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402183743/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sport/when-punjab-s-kaur-singh-traded-punches-with-the-legend/247086.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1982, Singh won a gold medal at the heavyweight category [[Boxing at the 1982 Asian Games|Asian Games]] held at New Delhi, in the same year he got the [[Arjuna Award]] by the [[Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The untold story of Kaur Singh – A forgotten Indian boxer who fought Muhammad Ali |url=http://punjabtoday.in/punjabtodayin/interview.php?comment&entry_id=1489676134&title=the-untold-story-of-kaur-singh-%E2%80%93-a-forgotten-indian-boxer-who-fought-muhammad-ali |work=punjabtoday.in |language=en |archive-date=24 October 2020 |access-date=20 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024064815/http://punjabtoday.in/punjabtodayin/interview.php?comment&entry_id=1489676134&title=the-untold-story-of-kaur-singh-%E2%80%93-a-forgotten-indian-boxer-who-fought-muhammad-ali |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Heavyweight boxing champ Kaur Singh recalls fight with Zorawar Muhammed Ali |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/punjabi/en/article/2016/06/08/heavyweight-boxing-champ-kaur-singh-recalls-fight-zorawar-muhammed-ali |work=[[SBS PopAsia]] |language=en}}</ref>

In 1983, the [[Government of India]] awarded Singh with the [[List of Padma Shri award recipients (1980–1989)|Padma Shri award]] for outstanding contribution to Indian sports.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boxer Kaur Singh: The forgotten hero who fought Muhammad Ali |url=https://thebridge.in/boxer-kaur-singh-the-forgotten-hero-fought-muhammad-ali/ |work=The Bridge |date=25 December 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Singh retired from boxing career in 1984 after participating and representing India in the Los Angeles Olympics where he won two bouts, but was defeated in the third match.{{fact|date=July 2022}}

=== Fighting against Muhammad Ali ===
On 27 January 1980, Singh fought at Delhi's National Stadium against [[Muhammad Ali]] in an exhibition match of four-rounds.
"Us de mukke bahut hi dumdar si (His punches had great power). I clearly remember that jab, his famous jab. It seemed to come out of nowhere. He used his right hand to block my punches, and his counterpunch to hit me. His speed was amazing; not once during those four rounds did the speed drop. He was shorter than me but his ring craft and movement took him out of my reach," said Singh.<ref>{{cite news |title=Indian boxer recalls fight with 'shahenshah' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/india-boxer-recalls-fight-with-muhammad-ali-the-shahenshah-2835329/ |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=22 July 2016 |language=en-IN}}</ref>

== Death ==
Singh died on 27 April 2023, at the age of 74.<ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/other-sports/story/boxing-champion-kaur-singh-passes-away-after-multiple-health-problems-2365254-2023-04-27 Boxing champion Kaur Singh passes away after multiple health problems]</ref>

== Legacy ==
A biopic film of Singh, ''[[Padma Shri Kaur Singh]]'', was slated to release in 2020, with producer [[Karam Batth]] playing Singh. The film highlighted apathy of governments in releasing the prize money they announced.<ref>{{cite news |title=Padma Shri Kaur Singh's Biopic On Cards; He Was The Only Indian Boxer To Fight Muhammad Ali |url=https://www.koimoi.com/outside-bollywood/padma-shri-kaur-singhs-biopic-on-cards-he-was-the-only-indian-boxer-to-fight-muhammad-ali/ |work=[[KoiMoi]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Biopic of only Indian boxer who fought Muhammad Ali in the pipeline |url=https://zeenews.india.com/bollywood/biopic-of-only-indian-boxer-who-fought-muhammad-ali-in-the-pipeline-2239462.html |work=[[Zee News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Now, film on Indian boxer who faced Ali |url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/now-film-on-indian-boxer-who-faced-ali/articleshow/71533293.cms |work=[[Mumbai Mirror]]}}</ref> Film release was delayed due to COVID-19 and then due to clash with other film releases in 2022. Karam Batth in an interview said "It was supposed to release on July 8 but the makers of ''[[Shareek 2]]'' shifted its release date to the same Friday. I was fine with it as both the films are quite different. But then team ''[[Sohreyan Da Pind Aa Gaya]]'' also announced its release date on the same day, which made us postpone ours to July 22."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Tribune News |title=Karam Batth brings out the story of Padma Shri Kaur Singh, the legendary Punjabi boxer |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/lifestyle/karam-batth-brings-out-the-story-of-kaur-singh-the-legendary-punjabi-boxer-408747 |access-date=2022-07-09 |website=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref>

== Exhibition boxing record ==
{{BoxingRecordSummary
|draws=
|ko-wins=
|ko-losses=
|dec-wins=
|dec-losses=
|nonscore=1
}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Type
!Round, time
!Date
!Location
!Notes
|-
|1
|{{N/A}}
|0–0 {{small|(1)}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Boxing career of Muhammad Ali|Muhammad Ali]]
|{{N/A}}
|4
|27 Jan 1980
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|IND}} {{small|[[Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium|National Stadium]], [[New Delhi]], India}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Non-scored bout}}
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}
{{Asian Games Champions Boxing Heavyweight}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Kaur}}
[[Category:1940s births]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Asian Games boxers for India]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in boxing]]
[[Category:Boxers at the 1982 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1982 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]

Kaur Singh - Revision history

JamesTex at 05:36, 12 September 2025