Jagdish Singh was my basic coach and he trained me from my very early days in boxing, teaching me the fundamentals of the sport. He was the one who shaped me into a boxer, disciplined me when I required disciplining.

I'm a big fan of the Rocky series. Given the chance, I'd love to meet Sylvester Stallone. But apart from boxing, I'm an ardent fan of tennis and football.

I eat healthy and don't go by a diet chart. The breakfast is usually heavy, complemented with short frequent meals. My dinner is high on proteins and low on carbohydrates.

I do a lot of yoga and meditation. It calms my nerves and helps me channelise my energy.

Scrutiny has never scared me because I have had detractors all my life.

I have prepared myself to be at my peak in London. But in the Olympics, there are so many factors. You need to stay alert all the time, and a lapse of concentration, even for a second, will let you down.

I knew very little or nothing about the Olympics. Having qualified was itself a big achievement for me, and then being there was quite overwhelming. Although I lost in the opening round, but the fact that I fought well was enough for me to take away from Athens.