Bilal’s Asian title bout ends in a draw

KARACHI: Karachi-based South Waziristan’s emerging boxer Mohammad Bilal Mehsud was unlucky when his World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia silver super lightweight title bout against defending champion Geisler AP of Indonesia ended in a technical draw in Indonesia on Saturday.

In the thrilling fight Bilal kept an upper hand throughout at the Waringin Sports Hall Jayapura, Indonesia.

The result helped Geisler retain his belt. The ten-round clash had to be stopped in the sixth round after Geisler’s left temple was injured. Bilal also knocked Geisler down in his sixth round with a hook punch. After the battle was stopped, both fighters were tied at 142-142.

According to rules if a clash is stopped after five rounds it could be declared as technical draw.

Bilal was not happy with the outcome.

“I was unfortunate,” Bilal told ‘The News’. “I knocked him down twice in the fifth and sixth round and handed him hectic beating but still the fight ended in a draw which is unfortunate,” disappointed Bilal said.

“You know Geisler was playing in his own town and this was the main reason he was favoured,” said Bilal, who has also represented Pakistan in kick-boxing and wushu.

However he was optimistic about his win in future. “Don’t worry I will beat him in future,” Bilal said.

Bilal said he wanted a re-match and had written to the WBC.

Before this draw Bilal had played six bouts in his pro career, winning all. However his fight against Geisler was the first major test of the Pakistani fighter but he was unlucky despite having extended best display.

Bilal, who belongs to tribal district South Waziristan’s town Badar, has not represented Pakistan in amateur boxing. He still plays wushu and kick-boxing. Pakistan’s wushu governing body (PWF) president Malik Iftikhar the other day told The News that Bilal was much better in boxing as compared to wushu.

Bilal was part of Pakistan’s kick-boxing squad which featured in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in 2017.