New Delhi: While Vijender Singh waited with bated breath in the locker room on the biggest night of his professional boxing career, stars had descended beside the ring to cheer for the Indian.
India's six-year wait to see their hero from the 2008 Beijing Olympics back in the boxing ring at home ended on Saturday in style when he beat Australia's Kerry Hope to win his first professional title and wear the WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight belt.
Setting the adrenaline soaring ringside were reality show stars Raghu and Rajiv, who were seen shouting for the Indian champion sitting alongside Ranvijay Singh. To their left was Bollywood diva Neha Dhupia, who sent temperatures soaring at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex.
In Neha's company was fellow Bollywood star Randeep Hooda, who also comes from Vijender's hometown Haryana.
But the crowd reserved the biggest cheer for former India batsman and Vijender's long-time friend Virender Sehwag, who had set the tone of the match with his tweet where he had said Vijender will enjoy the fight as it's always fun when India beats Australia in sports.
Among the other Indian cricketers in the arena were also Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, who are currently off national duty after not being selected for India's Test tour of the West Indies.
Amid the buzz at the biggest professional boxing event organised in India to date, country's boxing legend MC Mary Kom was also present and thanked the crowd for supporting boxing and making it popular in India.
She also once again apologised to the country for not being able to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
Among the high-profile dignitaries was India's newly appointed Sports Minister Vijay Goel and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who interestingly was 'welcomed' with cheers of 'Modi, Modi'.
The BCCI was represented by their IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla.
The entertainment leading up to Vijender's fight was not just limited to a series of precursor fights. Well-known Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa provided the foot-tapping moments singing his famous numbers.
And the icing on the cake was provided when Vijender stole all the limelight with the seventh consecutive win of his professional career and a maiden title.