Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan boxer Muhammad Waseem will face South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight world title bout on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Waseem will be featured on the undercard in Kuala Lumpur, with Manny Pacquiao featuring in the main card bout. Waseem who is Pakistan’s only World Boxing Council (WBC) title winner has been undefeated in eight international tournaments. On the other hand, his opponent Mthalane has won 35 of his 37 career fights. Waseem, who is training nowadays in Las Vegas currently training under Vegas-based trainer Jeff Mayweather, the uncle of world-famous Floyd Mayweather, has said that he is honoured he will be waving the Pakistani flag once again. “This is an important fight for me and I hope that the nation prays for my win.”

On July 17, 2016, Waseem became the first Pakistan boxer to have clinched the world silver belt by beating Jether Oliva of Philippines in Seoul. It was a rare feat from the fighter as he lifted the title in only his fourth fight of his career. Waseem became the world’s top-ranked boxer as per rankings released by the WBC for the month of June 2017. He is the first Pakistan boxer to be listed as the number-one boxer in the flyweight category. On November 27, 2016, he successfully defended his crown by upstaging the dangerous Giemel Magramo of the Philippines, also in South Korea, after a tough 12-round battle. The Quetta based boxer other accolades include bronze medals at the 2014 Asian Games and 2010 Common-wealth Games, plus a silver in Glasgow at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Published in Daily Times, June 19^th 2018.