Mother-daughter boxing duo dare to dream in Lyari

KARACHI: Daring, determined and passionate – the words that describe a mother-daughter duo that train and box together at the Pak Shaheen Boxing Club in Lyari.

18-year-old Razia and her mother, Halima, are making Lyari proud. Their mutual passion for boxing brought them to Lyari’s Pak Shaheen Boxing Club a few months ago, and they haven’t looked back since.

Razia and Halima arrive at the club together and train together. As they put on their gloves and take positions in the ring, pictures of boxing legend Muhammad Ali in the background remind them why they are there every day.

“I love boxing. I grew up dreaming to become a professional boxer and fight like Muhammad Ali one day,” says Razia, eyes burning with her determination to become a boxer and represent Pakistan on an international level one day.

Razia grew up watching boxing on the TV along with her father and mother, both of whom supported their daughter in her desire to take up the sport.

Even after her father’s death, Razia did not give up on her dream and joined the boxing club. Her mother Halima, wanting to help her daughter as much as she could, decided to join as well.

“I like boxing with my daughter, it’s fun. We hit each other because after all, she needs to learn to take the blows,” Halima says with a smile.

“She hits really hard,” Razia laughs.

Boxing among girls is gaining in popularity in Lyari. In the past six months alone, the number of female boxers in the area has quadrupled, as girls punch their way through gender barriers and dare to follow their dreams.

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