Boxing squad departs for London qualifiers

Tough task on hand for the pugilists in Kazakhstan.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s boxing contingent was due to depart for Kazakhstan earlier this morning for the Olympics’ Asian round of qualifiers to take place from today to April 15.

The nine-member contingent includes five boxers – Nisar Khan (49kg), Muhammad Waseem (52kg), Naimatullah (56kg), Haider Riaz (64kg) and Zulqarnain (69kg) – as well as coaches Majeed Brohi and Arshad Hussain while Ansar Mehmood will be the team manager with Liaqat Ali assisting him.

Brohi said that apart from Nisar, the other boxers have an easy task. Nisar needs to win his event in order to confirm a place in the Olympics while the others only need to get as far as the semi-finals. The coach also restrained the squad from extensive training as he wanted to preserve the energy for the bouts.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2012.