News > POA

Waseem Blasts his Way Into Quarter-Final Back To Main

25-Dec-2011

 Our Correspondent

The News

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top boxer Mohammad Waseem blasted his way into the quarter-final after beating his Syrian rival in the pre-quarter-final on the second day of the Second Shaheed Benazir Bhuttto International Boxing tournament at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad on Saturday. 

Waseem, who had lifted bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last year along with England-born Haroon Khan, defeated his tough rival Marwan Dumairiehi in the third round on RSC in the 52kg weight category. “I am the first Pakistani to defeat any Syrian boxer in this tournament. Syria have sent good boxers and it encouraged me to play so well against a better rival,” Waseem told ‘The News’ after the fight.

“My target is to lift gold medal and if luck favoured me then I would be able to achieve my objective,” said the Quetta-born boy. Waseem will now face a Sri Lankan boxer in the quarter-final on Monday (tomorrow).

Meanwhile, Qadir Khan and Mohammad Hussain were the other Pakistani boxers who won their bouts to make it to the quarter-finals. Qadir, a talented boxer who has not been considered for national duty by the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) due to reasons best known to them, outgunned Michael Dodoo of Ghana 19-8 in the 60kg.

Syed Mohammad Hussain dislodged MD Hasen Ali from Bangladesh in the 60kg to move ahead. Nawaz Dad, Nadir Baloch, Faheem and Zulqarnain failed to impress, losing their opening bouts cheaply.

Nawaz Dad lost to Joegin Laden from Philippines 12-23 in the 60kg, while Nadir Baloch was crushed by Stefan Ivanov 19-9 in the 52kg. Faheem was dismantled by Mohammad Dumairieh from Syria in the 60kg pre-quarter-final.

Zulqarnain conceded his 69kg fight to Sahrouz Toradideh from Iran 12-6 on RSC when the referee stopped the fight in the third round. England-based Haroon Khan will play his first bout against an Indian boxer on Monday (tomorrow).