PBF plans to hire Kazakh coach

KARACHI: Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) plans to hire the services of a coach from Kazakhstan to prepare players for future international assignments, particularly 2020 Olympics Qualifiers.

“Kazakhstan is a strong nation in boxing and we plan to hire a Kazakh coach,” PBF secretary Nasir Tung told ‘The News’ on Friday.

He said Kazakhstan Boxing Federation (KBF) had been contacted for the purpose.

“They have told us to write to them formally. We intend to get a formal consent from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) so that the matter could be processed and bio-data of Kazakh coaches could be invited,” Nasir added.

He was quick to add that the PSB could give up to 2500 dollars a month to the foreign coach.

Nasir said if they got a good coach they would like to hire him for three to four years so that the talent could be properly groomed.

He said that during his recent tour to Baku he had met with the AIBA president and discussed with him Pakistan’s needs in different areas, especially coaching and equipment.

“AIBA chief has promised that Pakistan would be supported at every step,” Nasir said.

“We also need a scoring machine. I told him if we got it on loan it would be good. I have also requested a referees/judges course in Pakistan,” he said.

He also disclosed that the PBF was considering sending Awais Ali Khan to Kazakhstan for training.

“Awais will feature in the World Championships. We want to send him to Kazakhstan for training after Ramadan. We are doing our best; let’s see what happens,” Nasir said.

The World Championships will be held in Hamburg, Germany, from August 25 to September 2.

Awais, who plays in the light heavyweight category, qualified for the global event when he beat India’s Manish Panwar in the box-off fight of the Asian Championship in Tashkent in April.

Nasir said that the PBF was also set to send three boxers to Nassau, Bahamas, for featuring in the Youth Commonwealth Games to be held there from July 19-23.

“We have picked Naqeebullah (light welter-weight), Majid (light flyweight) and Ismail (flyweight), all from Karachi. The former is training in Karachi while the other two are training in Rawalpindi duo to their attachment with Army,” Nasir said.

He said Ali Bakhsh, an AIBA 3-star coach, would accompany these boxers to Nassau.

He said the PBF had started holding competitions in the provinces. “We have conducted some events at the provincial level for hunting boxers at youth and junior levels. Punjab has already sent us a list of ten boys, who could be groomed,” Nasir said.

“The lists from the other provinces are awaited,” he said.

He further said that no event from now onwards would be organised without a prior notice of two and a half months. “Everything will be conducted as per the calendar. Without it proper arrangements are not possible,” the official said.

Nasir said that their set-up was new and hopefully results would start emerging in some time. “It’s been only four months. We are working hard and I am confident we will show improvement,” Nasir said.