From the tender age of two, Southampton's twin brothers Vijayraj and Yuvraj Karia were already training, laying the groundwork for an extraordinary journey from childhood passion to professional boxing prowess.
Now 17, these unbeaten prodigies are more than rising stars; they're on track to become a major force. Despite UK regulations preventing them from professional bouts at home, the Karia brothers have dominated internationally. Yuvraj has an incredible four victories against adult opponents in Dubai and Thailand, while Vijayraj boasts three dominant wins. The twins are also debuting this year on the UK Television in November. They are poised to make a significant impact on the British boxing scene and demonstrate that destiny knows no age limit.
Speaking to Asia Voice, they share their journeys, partnership, groundwork and future ambitions.
The spark of early interest and childhood influences
For Vijayraj, his love for boxing ignited at the tender age of two. "A friend of my dad’s, gave all three of us brothers some boxing gloves and pads. I remember putting them on and playing with our dad, and something about it just clicked," he recounts. All the training turned fruitful and a defining moment came during his first fight, "I threw a back hand instinctively and it landed clean. That feeling confirmed to me that this wasn’t just a game”, he said.
Sharing his personal moment that sparked his boxing journey, Yuvraj explained, "The first time I wore gloves at two years old, I just felt like I belonged in them,". A pivotal memory for him was when his father taught him to block and counter on the pads at four or five, a skill that felt like learning a superpower and transformed boxing into a deep-seated passion.
Danny Cooper, a former boxer provided their foundational training from ages three to ten, while former British boxing professional Tony Hill refined their technical skills, particularly their jab variations.
The influence of brotherhood, family and community support Vijayraj emphasises that training at Golden Ring under Stuart Gill, a 40-year experienced boxing coach, provided not only technical skills but also essential life structure. As British Indians, the brothers have a strong desire to carry both their heritage and British identity and feel consistently embraced by their community.
Yuvraj highlights how the gym, the city, the people, made them feel like they part of something bigger. He recalls Gill keeping the gym open late and providing crucial advice and support. He also reflects on the motivation derived from being British Indian in a sport where they didn't see many like themselves.
Training alongside each other is a cornerstone of their professional journey. Vijayraj describes Yuvraj as his biggest motivator, critic, and supporter and their dynamic fosters constant improvement. "We push each other every day, whether it’s in sparring or conditioning. There’s no ego, just a shared mission"., he says.
"Our family is the reason we’re even able to do this," says Vijayraj. He credits their father for discipline, coaching, and training assistance, while their mother provides emotional balance, reminding them to rest and think long-term. "We fight in the ring, but it’s a team effort", says Vijayraj.
Yuvraj underlines the immense sacrifices made by their parents, to facilitate their careers."They believed in us before anyone else," he states, acknowledging their parents management of travel, meals, and schedules, which makes a huge difference when you're turning pro at their age.
Mental preparation and handling high-stakes pressure
The Karia brothers; composure in high-pressure situations is a testament to their individual mental strategies. Vijayraj found fighting professionally in Dubai and Thailand ‘intense’, yet he stayed grounded, even dislocating his shoulder early in one bout but continuing to win. He embraces pressure, staying "emotionally neutral in the ring, no hate, no fear, just strategy". His routine involves calming music, deep breathing, and light pad work before fights, focusing on the moment, the basics to stay sharp.
For Yuvraj, his easy fight experiences stem from rigorous preparation. "For me, it’s all about visualisation," he explains. During fight week, he mentally rehearses the ring walk, exchanges, and game plan, effectively living the fight 100 times in his head. He avoids social media and overthinking opponents, instead trusting in the work put in.
For the remainder of this year, Vijayraj is focused on their UK TV debut this November’, which is a dream come true to fight professionally on home soil for the first time. Yuvraj'slong-term vision also includes world titles and utilising their platform to make boxing more accessible to British Asian youth. He emphasises that "Representation matters, and if our journey helps more young talent believe in their path, that’s a huge win”.
