Boxing league will be open to female boxers: Amir Khan

ISLAMABAD: The Super Boxing League wil be open to female boxers of Pakistan, said British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan on Monday while making the formal announcement of his upcoming boxing league in the country. 

While speaking to the media, Amir said he has taken the idea from his partner in India who started a similar league. “If India can host boxing [tournaments] then Pakistan has more talent [for the sport].”

"Want to do this for Pakistan and want to promote boxing in Pakistan," said Amir.

"Amir Khan is Pakistan's Mohammad Ali," said British High Commissioner Thomas Drew, who was also visiting the academy and referred to Amir as Pakistan's ambassador in Britain.

Drew added that he wanted international cricket to return to Pakistan and wished the English cricket team visits Pakistan soon. He also vowed to support the revival of sports in the country. 

Amir said the boxing league will be a professional platform as he wants to the sport to flourish in Pakistan. Moreover, he added, each city of the country will also have academies to train people for boxing.

Teams from Multan, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Quetta, Sialkot and Karachi would participate in the league, Amir further said. 

The league will have a point-based system and will be "short and explosive" and will be similar to PSL-like tournaments. 

Explaining further, the British-Pakistani boxer said each city will have a boxing academy, run by professional coaches who will finalise a team and hold initial trials for the entrants. 

The boxer added that the title of the league will be owned by the World Boxing Council and the league will enable local boxers to win a WBC belt.

Amir said that he will be starting the league either in December or early next year.