Irfan Ahmed set to make professional debut at Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series on 20th June
Pakistan's emerging boxer, Irfan Ahmed is all set to make professional debut in which he will take on his Nepali counterpart Sandeep Gurung in the straw weight fight at Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series on 20th June in Singapore.
Fighting out of Lahore, Pakistan, Irfan Ahmed will be making his professional Mixed Martial Arts debut at Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series in Singapore on June 20th for a chance to win a $100,000 USD contract with ONE Championship.
Irfan will be the only Pakistani on the card in a show which has seen three Pakistani’s formerly make their debut, including women’s MMA pioneer Anita Karim, who achieved her first victory on 28th February in the current year at ONE Warrior Series 4.
Irfan will be facing Nepali National Kickboxing Champion, Sandeep Gurung in the straw-weight division. Sandeep Gurung is a veteran of ONE Warrior Series, where he took on Akihiro Fujisawa who later went on to win the coveted $100,000 contract.
While Irfan is undefeated in national events and has represented Pakistan in the Amateur World Championships in Bahrain. Irfan is not only an athlete but the captain of “Team Shaheen” a team founded by Bashir Ahmad, known as the “Godfather of Pakistani MMA”. Shaheen Academy where the team is based, is a non-profit facility with a focus on developing youth by sponsoring education and providing after-school tuition alongside martial arts training.
Irfan had the following to say,
“I am thankful to ONE Warrior Series, especially to Rich Franklin and Bashir Ahmad, for this opportunity and InshaAllah, I will not disappoint my country.”
“All this would not have been possible without my sponsors, coaches and teammates who are taking care of me as athletes and I won’t disappoint the team. I respect my opponent and I have seen his last fight, I am going to Knock him out in the very first round. It's my first professional fight on international stage and I am super excited for it."
