Wahab seeks Pakistan’s first heavyweight champion title

Quetta boxer to vie in national championship prior to Asian Games.


Natasha Raheel May 21, 2014
Wahab began training professionally in 2012, and managed to participate in the national camp courtesy his outstanding performance in the All-Pakistan Boxing Championship earlier this year. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:


Twenty-one-year-old Abdul Wahab Kakar from Quetta aspires to be Pakistan’s first heavyweight Olympic gold medallist, as he sets sights on securing a berth at the Asian Games that will take place in September this year.


Wahab is a geology student at the Balochistan University, but he admitted that he wants to pursue a career in boxing.

He began training professionally in 2012, and managed to participate in the national camp courtesy his outstanding performance in the All-Pakistan Boxing Championship earlier this year.

“I want to be an Olympic gold medallist — Pakistan’s first heavyweight champion,” Wahab told The Express Tribune.

“I did win a gold medal back in 2012 in a Pak-Afghan Border Championship, but now I need to take a step forward.”

Wahab added that his first goal is to impress the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) judges at the national ranking championship that will begin in Islamabad on June 15.

The squad that will go to Asian Games will have a good chance at competing in the AIBA World Boxing Championship next year, which will also be the first qualifying round for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“It’s a good beginning at the national camp. Our coach Ghulam Hussain Patni has spared no efforts in preparing us. I’ve had four bouts so far and lost one against a Navy boxer, so I know making an impact at the national championship will not be easy.”

The youngster added that his passion for the sport far outweighs monetary considerations.

“I’ve grown up watching Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson videos, it’s my ambition to emulate them in any way possible,” said Wahab.

According to camp commander Ali Akber Shah Qadri, Wahab has a good chance of winning the national championship where the PBF will pick at least six boxers out of 40 pugilists for training in Kazakhstan.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2014.

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