New Delhi: With less than two weeks to go for the start of the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Indian squad are scheduled to leave for France late on Friday night for a 10-day training stint in Bugeat.

“For the Indians, going to Bugeat is like joining the boxing hall of fame,” said a team official.

team can go there on its own as the Bugeat boxing centre allows a team to practice strictly on basis of invitation. The Indians have been invited for the first time and we have decided to avail the opportunity,” he said.

National coach Gurbux Singh Sandhu said the invitation from Bugeat has come as a God-sent opportunity.

“Around 16 top European teams would be coming there with their World Championship squads. Our boys would get the valuable exposure that they were lacking on the eve of the world meet.”

“It is basically a training trip. Competition would be limited to a few friendly fights but most important thing is to be acclimatised to European conditions. The weather and conditions would be similar to what we will endure in Baku,” he added.

What makes the Baku World Championship more important is that anyone who reaches the quarter finals stage would automatically qualify for the London Olympics. Given the Indians’ new-found status at the international level, several of the 10-member team could be expected to make the grade.

While all eyes will once again be on middleweight pugilist Vijender Singh (75kg), a bronze medallist at Beijing Olympics, boxers like Suranjoy Singh (52kg), Manoj Kumar (64kg), Vikas Krishan (69kg) and Dinesh Kumar (81kg) could spring surprises at Baku.

Suranjoy is a gold medallist in the recent President’s Cup and a former Asian champion. Vikas won the gold in the last Asian Games while Dinesh won the gold.

Going to France, Vijender Singh felt would be of great help to the Indians.

“We are going for such an exposure trip for the first time. I am sure this will help the team, especially the less experienced among us, immensely,” he said.