Star boxer Mohammad Waseem resumes training in Glasgow

KARACHI: Pakistan’s professional boxer and former World No1 Mohammad Waseem on Thursday resumed his training in Glasgow for his next fight which will be held on November 22 in Dubai.

“I reached here yesterday night and today I resumed my training,” Waseem told ‘The News’ from Glasgow on Thursday. Waseem last month in Dubai knocked-out Conrado Tenamor of the Philippines in the first round of the super flyweight, his best ever victory in professional boxing. He will play another ranking bout on November 22, also in Dubai.

After the superb win in Dubai, Waseem attracted the attention of cricket legends Shoaib Akhtar, Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik. He was warmly welcomed by Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan which the boxer said motivated him ahead of his next fight.

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Boxer Muhammad Waseem backed by former cricket champ Wasim Akram who noted that the public should be paying respects to Pakistan’s unsung heroes who wave the country’s flag on international platforms all around.

“Yes, meeting these big people and having got their support really motivated me. I plan to work extra-hard for my next fight and hopefully will achieve the desired results,” the 32-year-old Quetta-born fighter said.

Waseem will be joined by his coach Danny Vaughan on Tuesday as he is in London with a pack of boxers these days. Waseem is being looked after by MTK Global, a major boxer management company, based in England. The company has around 150 leading international boxers under its belt. 

The former two-time WBC flyweight world silver champion joined the management company a few months ago. After the win in Dubai, Waseem took a good break in Pakistan before catching a flight to Glasgow.

“I relaxed, spent good time with my family and friends in Quetta and am quite fresh,” the former Asian Games bronze medalist said. Waseem may go to Holland for some sparring ahead of his next fight. “There is a chance that I may go to Holland for some training as I will be able to get different sparring partners there,” the fighter said.

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Gen Bajwa met Muhammad Waseem at his office and congratulated him for the recent achievement bringing honour for the country.

Waseem has played ten fights so far, winning nine of them with seven knock-outs. He was undone in a controversial manner in the IBF world flyweight title bout against Moruti Mthalane of South Africa in Malaysia in July 2018. 

After serving Pakistan in amateur circuit for over a decade, Waseem turned pro just months after winning bronze in the flyweight competitions of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Soon, he created ripples in the professional boxing world by winning the WBC world sliver flyweight title, beating Jether Oliva of the Philippines in Seoul on July 17, 2016.

He secured the world title only in his fourth pro bout. Then working under AK Promotions, he defended the title on November 27, 2016, when he got the better of Giemel Magramo of the Philippines in a gripping fight. Waseem also became WBC world No 1 in June 2017.