Waseem upbeat ahead of world title bout against Filipino legend

LAHORE: Pakistan’s premier professional boxer and three-time WBC world silver flyweight champion Mohammad Waseem on Tuesday said that he is undergoing ‘tough’ training and is confident to topple Filipino legend and former four-weight world champion Donnie Nietes in the fight for the vacant IBO bantamweight world title to be held in Dubai on July 22.

“Yes, tough training is going on and I am confident to pull off a win against Nietes who is, no doubt, a tough fighter,” Waseem told 'The News' in an exclusive talk from Glasgow where he is undergoing training for the fight for which he waited for over a year.

Waseem had last fought against Sunny Edwards of England on March 19, 2022, with the Quetta-born fighter losing the show despite dominating it for most of the time at the Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai.

Waseem said he has made a plan for his 41-year opponent with a terrific record of (43-2-6, 23 knockouts).

“Yes I have made a game plan and will box with him InshaAllah,” said Waseem, also a former Asian Games bronze medallist.

“Nietes has been a tough fighter and there is no doubt about it but his last fights have not been that good and I know how to fight against him in what could be a very crucial fight for me,” he said.

“I have been doing training for over five hours daily. The time is too short as hardly two weeks are at my disposal. I have achieved top fitness and am hopeful to achieve the required rhythm soon which will help me click in the fight,” Waseem said.

This is the first time that Waseem (12-2, 8 knockouts) will be playing in the bantamweight (53.5kg) in his professional career.

The fight is being held under a newly-formed Dubai-based Disrupt Promotions which have acquired assets from Probellum, Waseem’s former promotions.

Waseem, who is being coached by Danny Vaughn, will also do sparring with a Scottish fighter on Wednesday (today).

“I have trained with a couple of sparring partners here at Glasgow. Tomorrow I will spar with a Scottish fighter who is professional and is good enough. Although I have been told that it would be my last sparring but I will tell my management that I will need some more sparring which I understand will help me a lot,” Waseem said.

Waseem said that he is taking top nutrition, adding, he feels well.

“Yes, I am taking food as per my weight and is getting a sound ten to 12 hours of sleep which is very important ahead of a big fight,” Waseem said.

After a productive decade-long amateur career during which Waseem also won one bronze and one silver in the Commonwealth Games and a bronze in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games he switched over to professional circuit in 2015.

And there, too, he bewildered the world with his exceptional talent. He became the WBC world silver flyweight champion in 2016 in only his fourth bout, which is a rare achievement. He then went on to clinch such two more titles.

Meanwhile, on the same night, Liverpool's Jazza Dickens (32-4,12 knockouts) will defend his IBO featherweight world title when he will face Argentinian challenger Sosa (15-2, 8 KO).