Pakistan’s ace boxer Waseem ‘ready’ for world title bout in hometown Quetta

Pakistan’s ace professional boxer Mohammad Waseem is eyeing his first-ever world crown as he faces Wiston Orono of Venezuela in the WBA bantamweight world title fight which is scheduled to be held in Quetta on May 10.

“Yes, I am ready for the challenge,” Waseem told Nukta from his hometown Quetta on Wednesday.

“I have worked really hard for eight weeks in Liverpool. And for four weeks I passed through around 65 to 75 sparring sessions and they have helped me a lot,” Wasem said.

“The sparring partners were from England but they were good and I am happy with my preparation,” said Waseem, also a three-time WBC world silver flyweight champion.

“Orono is a good fighter but I am confident of beating him,” Waseem said.

Waseem was trained in the UK by his trainer Danny Vaughan, who has been associated with him since long.

It will be a full-fledged bouts-day as eight international and two local bouts will be conducted, featuring fighters from several countries of the world.

Waseem and some other foreign boxers are in Quetta while Nukta has learnt that Wiston Orono is on his way to Pakistan.

“Yes he (Orono) and some other boxers and officials will reach here today,” a source, well-aware of the developments, told this correspondent.

Historic occasion

This would be the first time that such a major international fight will be held on Pakistan’s soil.

Waseem fought his last bout against Georgian fighter Jaba Memishishi six months ago in Malta.

This was after long two years that Waseem appeared in a fight since facing Sunny Edwards of England in the world title shot in Dubai in March 2022.

Waseem had to wait for long for his maiden world title due to visas problems and other issues which also impeded his growth as a professional fighter.

Having lost to Sunny Edwards and Moruti Mthalane of South Africa in his previous world title shots held in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, respectively, despite playing so well this is a huge opportunity for the Quetta boxer to win the first-ever world title for Pakistan.

Waseem has featured in 15 fights in his professional career so far, spanning over a period of nine years, having won 13 of them with nine knockouts and lost two. Both of his losses came in world title fights.

He has also remained WBC No1 boxer for quite some time when he was working under Korea-based AK Promotions.

Waseem made an impressive pro debut in October 2015 following a long and productive amateur career when he defeated Min Wook Lee in Incheon. He went on to excel and in his fourth fight in July the same year he lifted the WBC world silver flyweight title by beating Jether Oliva of the Philippines in Seoul.

He then defended it in November the same year by upstaging tough Filipino fighter Giemel Magramo in Seoul.

Waseem reclaimed it for the third time in November 2021 by defeating Rober Barerra of Colombia in Dubai.

Besides the key fight between Waseem and Orono, which will be of 12 rounds, Joepher Montano of Philippines will meet Jesus Saracho of Gaunaju, Mexico, in the WBA South Asia Welterweight title fight while Alex Dilmaghani of England will face Yermi Peralta Jimenez of Dominican Republic in the WBA South Asia Super Featherweight title fight.

Meanwhile, Marvin Esquierdo of the Philippines will lock horns with Tarik Zaina of Morocco in the WBA South Asia Super Lightweight title clash.

Similarly, in the middleweight bout Patumpong Saengarun of Thailand meets Jimmy Kelly Junior of England, Afsheen Javed of Pakistan will be pitted against Malika Zahid of Pakistan in the featherweight fight (four rounds), Sahir Iqbal of England will face Julio Guerrero of Dominican Republic and Fatima Hazara of Pakistan will clash with Komal Akhlaq of Pakistan in their debut super featherweight fight.

In the bantamweight fight Markin Quezada Nunez of Dominican Republic will meet Ryan Carlin of Scotland while in the super welterweight fight Brayan Suero Hernandez of Dominican Republic will meet England’s Bobby Faulkner in the super welterweight fight.

England’s Chris Glover and Sonny Waghom are the promoters of this historic fight-day.