Waseem in deep trouble for lack of money

KARACHI: Lack of sponsorship has landed World Boxing Council (WBC) two-time world silver flyweight champion Mohammad Waseem of Pakistan in deep trouble.

Although the title defence recently helped Waseem move from ninth to fifth spot in the world, all is not well for the pugilist from Quetta.

He won the flyweight silver world title twice this year, so he was likely to get the first or second spot in the world, but sources said that because he failed to attract sponsorship, his promoter has failed to deposit the fee in the WBC exchequer. Now instead of going for his world title Waseem may have to defend his crown up to three times before he could fight for the world champion slot at the end of the this year.

“It’s really disturbing,” Waseem told ‘The News’. “I direly need sponsors. If I failed to get some major sponsors I could face a lot of problems,” the 2014 Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist said.

His promoter Andy Kim has also been disturbed by the situation. “Waseem is now ranked No5 by the WBC. I asked for the No1 spot but that was the most I could push at the WBC convention in Miami,” Kim told this correspondent in a text message.

“Current No1 and 2 will fight each other in March. So the plan for Waseem will be one more WBC silver title defence against another world ranker from the WBC or other sanctioning bodies and then the final eliminator and then challenge for world title at the end of 2017,” Kim said.

“WBC regulations say that he needs to defend title within 90 days since the last fight to remain the champion. But I extended a little bit because Waseem had received a cut above the eye. So the three fights from now on are very important and only with Pakistan’s support can I host the fight in Korea,” Kim said.

Waseem won his maiden world silver title when he defeated Jether Oliva of the Philippines on July 17 this year at Seoul.

The boxer defended the crown when he defeated Giemel Magramo of the Philippines on November 27, also at Seoul.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved a sum of Rs24 million for the boxer which the government says will be spent on the player’s training in the United States.

But surprisingly the government has constituted a three-member committee that will meet with Waseem to devise a procedure for spending the money.

The boxer will meet the committee on Tuesday at Islamabad.

At a press briefing here recently, Waseem said that he was in dire need of money as he would have to go for the world title fight. He had even said if the government did not want to give the money directly to him it should hand it over to Kim who has been promoting him for the last two years.

Waseem says that he has not yet got a single penny from any quarter.

The two-time Commonwealth Games medallist is expected to meet Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa in the next few days.

The boxer also plans to visit the major cities of the country to seek sponsors.

Waseem decided to turn pro early last year after being frustrated by the treatment of the top officials of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF).