Boxer Waseem requests people to stay at home

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier professional boxer Mohammad Waseem has said that he is in self-isolation and advised people to stay at home in order to contribute to the state effort to tackle coronavirus pandemic.

“I have entered into self-isolation and has never come out of home for the last one week. I advise all Pakistanis to stay safe, stay at home as health is much precious than anything else,” Waseem told The News in a formal chat from his hometown Quetta on Monday.

He also demanded of the prime minister Imran Khan to investigate who was responsible for spreading such a virus in the country. “There was no such virus in Pakistan then who brought it here,” Waseem questioned. “Who were behind the step which allowed infected people in Iran to enter Pakistan. It’s a big issue and it is the responsibility of the federal government to deal with this,” Waseem said. He said that because of the pandemic training is not possible for him. “It’s a big issue. I can’t train. Although I think I should establish a gym at home. All my colleagues in England and Scotland are at home as gyms have been closed. It’s a global issue and we should tackle it by limiting social contacts and staying at home,” Waseem said.

Waseem was scheduled to face former European champion Ryan Farrag in Kazakhstan on March 28 in a flyweight ranking fight. However the event was cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak which has taken thousands of life across the globe. Emerged in Wuhan, China, the virus has now spread across 180 countries of the globe with all business and sports activities having locked down. The former WBC No1 earlier was scheduled to fight on March 6 in Dubai but he skipped that due to lack of preparation.

Waseem a few days ago got injured in a car accident near Multan when his car which he was driving collided with blockades erected by a local police check post. He along with his coach Mohammad Tariq were going to Quetta from Islamabad. Waseem, also a former Asian Games bronze medallist, is yet to play a fight this year. He fought twice last year, winning both in Dubai. He is playing under Britain’s boxer management company MTK Global.