Waseem set to sign deal with MTK Global

KARACHI: Pakistan’s professional boxer Mohammad Waseem is all set to sign a deal with MTK Global, a famous boxing management company, later this month in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“I will inshaAllah sign an agreement with MTK later this month in Dubai,” Waseem revealed to ‘The News’ on Monday. “My ticket has been confirmed for January 25 and I hope it will be a good stint with the new company,” he added.

It would be a new beginning for the former World Boxing Council (WBC) two-time flyweight world silver champion following a solid but financially difficult stint with his former promoter Andy Kim.

Waseem said that he would want at least four fights this year. “I can even go directly for world title fight but I would not do that. I would like to get four fights this year in order to boost my ranking. It would help me decide when I should go for the world title bout. But I assure you that inshaAllah in 2019 I will win a world title,” the former Asian Games bronze medallist said.

“My first priority is to get the world crown in the flyweight category. After that I will leave it vacant and will opt for another class. It’s my desire to win titles in different weight categories. The next few years are very important for me,” Waseem said.

He said that he had also challenged his former rival Moruthi Mthalane of South Africa. “I have challenged him and am waiting for his response. He is a good boxer and recently defended his flyweight title. He knows my strength and knows exactly how I fought against him in the Kuala Lumpur fight,” the Quetta-born boxer said.

After switching over to professional boxing in early 2015 following a superb 2014 in which he got bronze in the Asian Games and silver in the Commonwealth Games, Waseem shot to fame when he clinched WBC world silver flyweight crown in only his fourth professional bout in the summer of 2016. He went on to defend it at the end of the same year.

The 2017 was a difficult year for Waseem as he faced financial issues which put his career in shambles. However, he was lucky to get a new lease in his career when he got an IBF world title bout against Mthalane through an English promoter.

“There have been ups and downs not from boxing point of view in my career but because of financial issues. I fought against all odds and am determined to boost my career,” Waseem said.

He said that he desired to train in the United States and England this year.“I am fond of hard work. I have now started my training and want to achieve top rhythm by the end of this month,” Waseem said.

“Most probably I will play a bout this March. Dubai may become my second home as I will have to play bouts there,” the boxer said. During his short but productive pro career, Waseem has played nine bouts, winning eight with six knock-outs. His only loss was against the South African last summer in Malaysia.