Boxer Mohammad Waseem back in the country post win: Asks government for support

ISLAMABAD: Boxer Mohammad Waseem who returned to Pakistan on Thursday, after winning the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Flyweight title in a tough fight against Philippines' Jether Oliva at the Millenium Hilton Hotel in Seoul, lamented the lack of support he got from the government. 

“I started my career in Korea, my promoter is a Korean and has spent a great amount of money on me but he too says that I am a Pakistani and that my government should be the one to support me,” said Waseem, speaking to Geo News.

He dedicated his win to his parents, family and friends, and "prayers of his countrymen".

Waseem, who hails from Quetta, prepared for the fight under famous trainer Jeff Mayweather at the boxing club of renowned boxer Floyd Mayweather Junior in Las Vegas. Jeff is the uncle of Floyd Mayweather Junior, one of the world’s greatest boxers of his time.

He said while in Pakistan he had begged the Boxing Federation for ten months but did not received any help from them. He added that he spent a year in the United States paying for his training.

Despite the lack of support from his government, Pakistani boxed Mohammad Waseem has won the country many accolades on international forums. Waseem all three fights he played in.

The Pakistani boxer, who switched over to pro boxing early last year, made a dream debut when he knocked out Korea’s Min Wook Lee in the ninth round to win the Korean Boxing Commission (KBC) title on October 4, 2015.

He knocked out Suparyanto Doglo of Indonesia in the third round in his second bout in Bangkok on December 5, 2015.

His last triumph came against Indonesia’s Bajawa whom he knocked out in Seoul the other month.

Post a long and difficult struggle for funds, Waseem managed to take the sport up professionally and is now the first ever Pakistani to have become a WBC Flyweight Silver Champion.

"I hope that now that I have won a title the Pakistan government will support me," he said. 

A popular sport in many parts of Karachi boxing has never received the support it should in the country.

British boxer Amir Khan in one of his many visits to Pakistan inaugurated the Amir Khan Boxing Academy in Karachi's Lyari area and another in Islamabad.