Mild-mannered and soft-spoken sportsperson, tall and well-built, Mr. Lakatsu Chophy, the Coach roped in by the Boxing Association Mokokchung for its 2nd intensive free boxing camp, is every inch the athlete that he professes to be.
Since October 10, 2023, Coach Lakatsu, with the assistance of two senior state boxers, has been coaching young boxers at the P. Shilu Ao Park, Imkongmeren Sports Complex, Mokokchung.
Coach Lakatsu Chophy has a close relationship with Mokokchung town, more so with the Ao Naga community. He was born at Khasi Lane colony in Mokokchung town to an Ao woman who hails from Chuchuyimpang village. He lived in Mokokchung till the age of five until his family moved to Dimapur and settled down there.
Coach Lakatsu was introduced to the sport of boxing from a very young age, and of all the people, by his mother.
“One day, my mother bought a pair of boxing gloves, when I was ten years old. It cost Rs. 150. That was a huge amount during those days,” said Lakatsu. “My mother was sort of a tomboy, she always said that boys should learn how to combat and defend oneself,” added Lakatsu with a chuckle. But those boxing gloves changed his life forever as it introduced him to the world of boxing and took him places all over the country.
He had participated in the Indian Coaching Camp at Patiala, Punjab. He is a member of the Senior Boxing Team from the state. And Mr. Lakatsu has a Diploma from the prestigious National Institute of Sports, Kolkata (1999-2000).
He is also one of the founding members of the Nagaland Amateur Boxing Association (NABA) to which the Boxing Association Mokokchung (BAM) is affiliated to. Mr. Lakatsu Chophy is the incumbent Vice President of NABA serving since the year 2007.
On the importance of boxing as a sport, Mr. Lakatsu said that it is one of the sports in which the Nagas can excel “if we are dedicated because we have an innate talent for combat sport.” He particularly expressed satisfaction at the considerable number of girls who have registered for the ongoing coaching camp.
“It (boxing) is an individual game. And especially for girls it is very useful for self-defense also as it is a close combat sport,” said the Coach.
On the prospects of the upcoming boxers from Mokokchung, Mr. Lakatsu confidently asserted that within the next five years, the young pugilists will win medals in the national level tournaments at least in the junior or sub-junior categories.
His confidence in the young boxers stems not only from the enthusiasm of the young participants, but also “of the strong support from the parents.” He highly praised the parents for encouraging their child to take up boxing as a sport and that loving support would propel the child to excel.
Coach Lakatsu Chophy’s words of advice to the upcoming boxers are simple three points: Be disciplined, be God-fearing, and be punctual. He emphasized on punctuality because once a trainee is late, then he would miss out on important lessons and be left behind the other trainees.
The Boxing Camp concludes on October 24. On the strong recommendation of Coach Lakatsu Chophy, the BAM has left the registration open for any interested boxer to attend the free coaching camp.