Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) to send it's boxers in all Asian events this year
Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) is planing to send several boxers to almost all Asian events this year to further improve and develop the Pakistani sporting image throughout the world.
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The sole financier of national sports federations, Pakistan's boxing governing body Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) plans to send its fighters in almost all the Asian events to be held this year under the auspices of Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC).
According to the schedule of the ASBC, Asian Championships will be held in Thailand from April 17-27. The Asian School-boys’ Boxing Championships will be conducted at a yet to be decided venue in August. The Asian Junior Boxing Championships will be organised in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 1-8. Mongolia will host the Asian Youth Championships from November 9-19.
“Besides fielding boxers in the Asian Championships in Thailand, which will also serve as qualifiers for the World Championships to be held in September this year, participation of Pakistan in the age-group events would be of an immense importance as it will help us build a strong base for future international elite competitions,” PBF Secretary, Col Nasir Tung said. Fielding boxers in Asian youth and junior events is normal exercise, but the selection of boys for the school-boys’ continental event in August will be a real challenge for the PBF, he added.
The PBF also plans to hold National Youth Championship in Karachi in the first week of March, while in April Islamabad will host the National Boxing Championship. Army will organize the Senior National event through the collaboration of the PBF.
Nasir also revealed that depending on the financial capacity of the PBF, efforts will be made to send three or four boxers to Thailand for featuring in the Asian Championships. “We have written to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) regarding camp for the Asian Championships which we want to hold at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad from March 5 to April 15,” he informed.
When asked what the PBF would do if the Board does not respond, Nasir said that the federation would then manage the camp itself. Leading six fighters from every weight will qualify for the World Championships to be held in Sochi, Russia, in September.
Last time, Pakistan’s light heavyweight fighter Awais Ali Khan had qualified for the World Championships held in Hamburg, Germany, after having extended good performance in the Tashkent Asian Championships when he had defeated an Indian boxer in the box-off fight.
With the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yet to decide the fate of world boxing governing body (AIBA) and status of boxing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, PBF Secretary hopes that the things will settle soon.
“AIBA are very much hopeful that the things will be settled down and boxing will be held in Olympics under AIBA. Let’s see what happens. Once issues are resolved with the IOC, Olympic Qualifiers will be unveiled,”
“Although we are late but definitely we are still hopeful that at least one or two boxers will represent us in Tokyo Olympics,” Nasir said. Pakistani boxers last featured in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
