Boxer changes his training plans

KARACHI: Pakistan’s professional boxer Mohammad Waseem changed his plans of undergoing training in England and on Sunday said that he plans to move to the United States this week to prepare for his IBF world title bout later this summer.

“I have dropped the idea of moving to Birmingham. When I went to England embassy in Islamabad the other day the staff told me that it will take me 21 days to get UK visa. I have not much time at my disposal. I did not submit my passport in the UK embassy and so decided to move to Las Vegas, the United States, to undergo training,” Waseem told ‘The News’ on Sunday. “I have the US visa and am going to get ticket in a couple of days,” the former two-time WBC world silver flyweight champion said.

The 30-year old Waseem will face Moruti Mthalane of South Africa in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title bout on July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur. The title was left vacant by Filipino fighter Donnie Nietes, who held the crown for several years before rising to the super flyweight category. The Waseem-Moruti fight was previously set as an elimination bout but after Donnie Nietes vacated the belt the fight was elevated to IBF flyweight title bout.

The two-time former WBC world silver champion is currently training in Islamabad. A few months ago, things looked bleak for Waseem when his flyweight world title bout against Japan’s Daigo Higa could not be arranged because of financial issues. But fortunes turned in favour of the boxer when England’s promoter Sean Gibbons came to his help and arranged the IBF flyweight world title bout against the South African under Manny Pacquiao Promotions.

“I have achieved top fitness level and am going to Las Vegas for sparring. My former coach Jeff Mayweather will coach me,” the boxer said. During his association with the World Boxing Council (WBC) he mostly underwent training in Korea, Japan, Las Vegas and Panama. He held WBC world No1 spot for months. But as he could not defend his WBC world silver title in the specific period he was stripped of his title which affected his ranking.

After serving Pakistan for over a decade in the amateur circuit Waseem turned pro in early 2015 and shot to fame in the circuit when he lifted the WBC world sliver flyweight title after beating Jether Oliva of Philippines on July 17, 2016 in Korea. He then in November the same year defended his crown after whacking Giemel Magramo of Philippines also in Seoul. Waseem has to his credit eight bouts, winning all of them.