Waseem says he needs big money for next fight

KARACHI: The two-time World Boxing Council (WBC) silver world flyweight champion Mohammad Waseem said on Friday that his next fight for the world title would be tough and he would need major sponsorship to make adequate preparation.

“I am going to fight for the world title most probably in March and I will need huge financial assistance,” Waseem told a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

On November 27 at Seoul, Waseem defended his crown by beating Giemel Magramo of the Philippines in a tough 12-round battle. He had won this title for the first time when he upstaged Jether Oliva of the Philippines in the ninth round on July 17, also at Seoul.

With the achievement on July 17 Waseem became the first boxer of the world who got the coveted title in only his fourth professional fight.

The 2014 Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist said that nobody had sponsored him so far. “Neither the federal nor the Balochistan government has supported me. Balochistan’s Chief Minister had offered financial support when I won this title for the first time on July 17. I contacted the provincial government several times but got no response,” Waseem said.

A few days ago Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved Rs24 million for Waseem which, if released, would help him meet his training requirements to some extent.

But the federal government has made a three-member committee for the purpose which will interview Waseem to know his requirements. Waseem said if the government did not want to give it to him it should give the amount to his promoter Andy Kim.

Waseem said the amount which the government had announced was not sufficient. “Boxing is a very expensive game. You need a large amount for meeting your coaching, training, conditioning, medical, gymnasium and other things. In America everything is very expensive and it is not easy to prepare for any fight there without huge money at your disposal,” he said.

He said he had played five bouts but nobody from Pakistan supported him. “It is a Korean company which sponsors me. Before my first title I had the support of around seven Korean companies but for the most recent fight no company backed me because I play for Pakistan,” the two-time Commonwealth Games medallist said.

“Barring cricket, no sports discipline has any worth in

Pakistan. I wouldn’t like my children to take up boxing,” the dejected Waseem said.

He lashed out at Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) for the way it had been running boxing affairs. “Those sitting at the key posts of the PBF don’t know about boxing. I personally believe that only professionals should run the federations. Politicians and other irrelevant people have occupied key posts in federations and that’s why our sports are suffering,” Waseem said.

For both his previous title fights Waseem underwent training in Las

Vegas at the gymnasium of Floyd Mayweather Junior.

Mayweather Junior’s uncle Jeff Mayweather trained waseem for Magramo and Oliva fight. Waseem is being sponsored by the Korea-based AK Promotions which is headed by Andy Kim.

Renowned businessman and owner of Peshawar Zalmi Javed Afridi has announced Rs2.5 miilion for Waseem. He has also made Waseem the brand ambassador for Peshawar Zalmi, a T20 team that features in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). About his next fight for the world crown, the boxer said that the situation would become clear later this month. “There is a convention of the WBC in Miami later this month and my promoter Andy Kim will attend it. And world rankings will have come by then and it is expected that I will get No1 ranking. If I get that then anybody can challenge me for the world title as the seat is currently vacant,” the boxer said.

“If I win the flyweight world title I will think about challenging Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua,” Waseem said.

He vowed that once he achieved his goal of becoming the world champion he would start working for the promotion of Pakistan boxing.

Waseem was presented a Sindhi Ajrak and a shield by Sports Journalists Association of Sindh which arranged his talk.