Pak boxers to tour Iran for Asian Games training

KARACHI: Pakistan’s boxers are to tour Iran to prepare for the Asian Games, slated to be held in Indonesia later this summer.

“We have contacted Iran and they have agreed to host us. And it is expected that we may send a bunch of top pugilists to Iran on July 1,” Pakistan Boxing Federation’s (PBF) secretary Col Nasir Tung told ‘The News’ from Islamabad on Monday. “They will stay there until July 17,” he added.

He was quick to add that Jordan would let them know whether Pakistani boxers should go there or Jordan would send boxers to Pakistan. “They will convey to us their decision soon. Our boxers will benefit in either case. Jordan has good boxing standard and a tour could benefit both sides,” Nasir said.

“If we are to go to Jordon then by that time we would have finalised our squad for the Asian Games and that lot would go there. And it is also possible that we may proceed to Indonesia for the Asian Games from Jordan,” the official said.

The PBF had also approached Uzbekistan for a tour but Nasir said so far no progress had been made in that direction. “We are still in touch with them but no progress has been made. Uzbekistan is still an option as we want our boxers to do some good sparring for the Asian Games and Olympic qualifiers,” he said.

The gold medalists of the Asian Games will qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Because of lack of proper training, Pakistan’s pugilists fared poorly in the 21st Commonwealth Games in Australia last month. Of the four boxers fielded by Pakistan only two won their bouts in Gold Coast. Pakistan is expected to field boxers in the Asian Games in the initial seven weights.

The country’s seasoned light heavyweight boxer Awais Ali Khan will not be able to represent Pakistan in Asian Games because his weight is not included in the approved list of weights for the biggest continental assignment. Nasir said that Awais would be kept in the camp as a sparring partner. The country would also field three women boxers in the Asian Games in 51kg, 57kg and 60kg.

“We will keep 25 male and ten female boxers in the camp along with five coaches,” the official said. The camp will be held in Islamabad. The PBF had asked Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to arrange a camp from May 5. But Nasir said the federation had been asked to submit some documents with the Board which had been done by the PBF. “I am confident that in the next few days we will be given green signal about the camp by the PSB,” Nasir said.

The PBF has also informed the Board about its plan to train boxers abroad. About the induction of foreign-based players in the national squad, Nasir said a few boys from England had shown interest in playing for Pakistan but they were found less talented than the home-grown boys.