PBF names preliminary squad for Asian Boxing

KARACHI: Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) on Tuesday unveiled a list of 18 probables for the Asian Boxing Championship which would be held in Bangkok from August 26 to September 5.
The shortlisted boxers include Jibran Khalid from England, who is expected to undergo trials for a spot in the Asian Championship next month.
The Asian Championship also serves as qualifiers for the World Championship to be held in Doha in October.
As many as five boxers each in the heavyweight and super heavyweight and seven each in the rest of the eight weights will qualify for the World Championship from Asia.
The World Championship will serve as qualifiers for the 2016 Rio Olympics. No Pakistani boxer could qualify for the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.
Pakistan team coach Ali Bakhsh said he would conduct trials before picking the final squad for the Asian Championship.
The PBF said in a news release on Tuesday that final nine boxers would be finalised for the continental event in between August 10 to 12.
Majority of the shortlisted boxers were part of the camp which was closed before Eid-ul-Fitr due to simmering heat.
No boxer was picked in the super heavyweight. “We don’t have better options in this weight,” Ali said.
The PBF said that coaches Ali Bakhsh, Mohammad Liaquat, Mohammad Tariq and Tariq Gujjar would accompany the side as coaches while the PBF secretary will proceed as manager.
“We will try our best to select the best available boxers,” PBF secretary Iqbal Hussain said.
“The result would be much better if the government helped us. Unfortunately, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) did not fulfill its promises and wasted our ten crucial months which could help us prepare better for the Asian and World Championship.”
The camp will resume on July 25 here at the PSB Coaching Centre.
Probables: 49kg: Mohibullah (WAPDA), Ameer Hamza (WAPDA), 52kg: Mohammad Waseem (WAPDA), Nisar Ahmed (Navy),56kg: Ahmed Ali (WAPDA), Nadir Baloch (Rangers), 60kg: Qadir Khan (Navy), Shiraz Salim (Navy), 64kg: Amir Khan (WAPDA), Gul Zeb (Army), 69kg: Mohammad Tanvir (Navy), Arshad Hussain (PAF), 75kg: Khalid Jibran (England), Tariq Nawaz (Navy), 81kg: Awais Ali Khan (Army), Mohammad Amin (Army), 91kg: Sanaullah (WAPDA) and Hasan Samir (PAF).