Waseem through to semi-finals

Boxer ensures medal for Pakistan in President’s Cup.

JAKARTA:

Muhammad Waseem defeated Singapore’s Mohamed Hanurdeen in the flyweight quarter-finals to ensure a medal for Pakistan at the 21st President’s Cup International Boxing Championship.

Waseem – a gold medallist at the Combat Games China, runner-up at the South Asian Games in Dhaka and a bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games Delhi – recorded a 16-6 triumph to qualify for the last-four.

“It was a fantastic fight that went exactly as I planned,” said Waseem, who will face Japan’s Katsuaki Susa, Asian Games silver medallist, today.

Waseem expressed disappointment that Pakistan pugilists did not get the chance to train abroad, which he feels is necessary to prepare for international assignments.

Meanwhile, welterweight Arshad Hussain conceded his quarter-final bout to Indonesian Taufan Paransa 13-8, whereas light-welterweight Amir Khan made his exit from the tournament, losing 16-13 to Russia’s Malinin Alexander.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2011.