Waseem considering joining boxing club in US

KARACHI: Hugely disappointed by the rough treatment back home, Pakistan’s star boxer Mohammad Waseem is mulling over an option to join an America-based club in near future.
“I have received offers from Bobby Sanchez, a Director of Boxer Recruitment in the United States. He is impressed with my caliber as a boxer and wants me to represent the US-based clubs. He has promised me that I will be given top facilities,” the 2014 Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist told ‘The News’ in an interview from Quetta on Wednesday.
“I have always given hundred percent for Pakistan and will also serve the country in future. But you know, here I have not been given the honour which I deserved. I need training for the Olympic qualifiers but I see nothing concrete in that direction from the authorities. I am really disturbed and don’t know what to do as time is slipping away,” added Waseem, who also bagged the silver medal in 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Pakistan Boxing Federation (PFB) wanted to send its top boxers abroad for a six month training stint in a bid to prepare them for the 2016 Rio Olympic Qualifiers, but no concrete steps have been taken in that direction.
Recently, the PBF had planned to send a few boxers to Kazakhstan to an invitational boxing tournament but that idea was also discarded.
Around three dozen boxers, mostly juniors, have been undergoing training here at the PSB Coaching Centre for the last few months.
But Waseem says with the offered level of training, no player could win any international bout.
“Unless you don’t keep fighting against tough boxers, your standard will not improve. Qualifying for Olympics is not an easy task when you train on your own with no tough boxer sparring with you,” he said. “Since taking part in the Incheon Asiad early October last, I have not got even a single international bout that has affected my position. I was in top rhythm last year and won one medal each in Glasgow and Incheon. Had I been sent abroad for training at that time, I could have got top form for the Olympic qualifiers,” Waseem elaborated.
“I come to the training camp on my own expenses. But still I don’t bother as I love my country. I feel now if I ever did not perform on any tour, I would be dropped. So far, I am in the team because of my performance. I don’t blame any one but the system,” the boxer said.
“Had I been in any other country I could have achieved more laurels,” the dejected Waseem conceded.
“I wanted to go to England for training on my own expenses but the PBF did not bother to get England visa for me. My letter of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) is still with the PBF but the federation is doing nothing for me. Had I played in the WSB, I would have been in a better position to win an Olympic medal for the country,” Waseem said.
He thanked Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) Director General Technical and Training Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera for his support.
“Ganjera is the only person who offered me support. He had told me that I should come to Islamabad and he will request the minister of IPC and I will be sent abroad for training. But you know, Ganjera these days is himself in trouble because of his legal battle and I don’t want to disturb him,” the boxer said.
He said after lifting gold in World Combat Games in 2010, the PBF secretary Iqbal Hussain had announced Rs100,000 for him but so far he has not fulfilled his promise.
“I am thankful to WAPDA’s sports manager Zafar Arain and my coach Tariq Siddiqui who have always supported me,” he said.
Meanwhile, national boxers wait to feature in the World Championships in Doha in October. The event also serves as qualifiers for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Then in March-April 2016 they will play in the Asian Qualifying round for Olympics.
Pakistani boxers last played in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Previously, Waseem faced defeat in the quarter-finals of the Asian qualifying round for 2012 London Olympics held in Astana.
This correspondent tried to seek comment from the PBF secretary Iqbal Hussain but his mobile phone was off.