Mohibullah goes down against Syrian boxer

KARACHI: Pakistan made a disappointing start in the preliminaries of the Asian Boxing Championship in Bangkok when on Thursday Mohibullah lost to Syria’s Al Masri Hussain on points in a 49 kg fight.
“Mohib was the fittest of the Pakistan lot and was in form but and I don’t know why he lost,” coach Ali Bakhsh told ‘The News’.
Ali did not proceed with the Pakistan squad because his passport was in Dubai for the visa of Samoa which will host Commonwealth Youth Games next month.
“I am really worried. My presence in Bangkok was necessary. But nothing is in my hands,” Ali said.
Mohammad Liaquat, Ali’s assistant, is serving as coach in the absence of Ali.
A source said that Pakistan also got the assistance of a Nepali coach for Thursday’s bout.
Pakistan Boxing Federation’s (PBF) secretary Iqbal Hussain is accompanying the squad as manager.
On Friday (today), Nadir Baloch (56kg) and Mehmood-ul-Hasan (91k) will play their bouts.
Pakistan fielded eight boxers in the continental affair which serves as qualifiers for the World Championships to be held in Doha in October.
The World Championships serve as qualifiers for the next year’s Rio Olympics.
Five boxers each in the heavyweight and super heavyweight and seven boxers each in the rest of eight weight categories will move into the World Championships from Asia. As many as 188 boxers from 28 nations are participating in the Asian Championship.