Earlier this year, upset at being overlooked for selection to the national team, Mizoram boxer NT Lalbiakkima decided to seek advice from his mentor. The call was made to Commonwealth Gold medalist Suranjoy Singh, one of the finest Indian boxers of the past decade.

"I told him not to be worried. He was still very young and that he would get his chance soon enough. And when he did, he had to make the chance count," recalls Suranjoy.

The 22-year-old Lalbiakkima would do just that. Having got a chance to represent the country at the Kazakhstan President's Cup, he would beat Uzbekistan's Hassanboy Dusmatov in a quarter-final match. The 4-1 result in the Indian's favour was a monumental upset.

Dusmatov, is the reigning light flyweight (49kg) Olympic champion and a silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships. Lalbiakkima has never even won a national title at any age category; a silver medal at the 2017 Senior Nationals in Vishakapatnam is his best result so far.

"It's incredible what Kima has done. It's the biggest name beaten by an Indian boxer. I'm honoured that I could watch his bout," says coach Jaisingh Patil, who hoisted Lalbiakkima onto his shoulders after the referee announced the victor. "It's the first time that an Indian has beaten the current Olympic champion."

What he might lack in pedigree, Lalbiakkima makes up for in other ways. "He has incredible self belief and he has great will power and endurance," Patil says.

It's that self belief and willingness to grind it out that caught Suranjoy's eye three years back when he first saw Lalbiakkima as a junior boxer.

"He wasn't the most skillful boxer but he was the most hardworking boxer I saw. That is the most important thing for me. You can teach skills but the willingness to work hard needs to be inside a boxer," he says.

Lalbiakkima seems to agree with that assesment. "I knew Dusmatov is very talented. But hardwork always beats talent," he says.

Lalbiakkima had realised the value of hard work over the course of his career. Hailing from Mizoram which doesn't have a boxing culture in the way the neighbouring state of Manipur does, he had to work extra hard. While others would have plenty of opportunities for sparring, Lalbiakkima would have to fight wherever he could, including in local semi-professional leagues in Aizawl.

That rough and tumble background gives him an unorthodox fighting style. "He has grown up fighting very aggressively. He throws a lot of hooks to the body which normally coaches will not encourage but that now is very effective for scoring in international bouts," says Patil.

That technique hasn't always won the day for him. He lost out to Amit Panghal for the selection to the Commonwealth Games, and it was this defeat that made him call Suranjoy in the first place. Yet, few doubted his ability.

He needed all of that ability against the tricky southpaw Uzbek.

"We had been preparing for his contest with Dusmatov ever since we saw the draw. Kima is a short guy (less than five feet) so we knew that if he stayed crouched he would be a difficult target for Dusmatov. Additionally we advised him to keep changing his punches and movements so the opponent would not be able to settle," says Patil.

As it turns out, Lalbiakkima executed his plans perfectly, winning on all but a single judge's scorecard. While he has assured himself of a bronze medal, his mentor Suranjoy has insisted he keep his mind focused on going all the way in Baku.

That would boost his chances in a tough field ahead of the selection for the Asian Games squad. However, Lalbiakkima could be forgiven for reveling in his achievement.

"I was nervous before the bout because he is the World No.1. I knew he is the best boxer in the world. But I want to be the best also. And to be the best, you have to beat the best," he says.