Coach expects boxers Awais, Asif to win medals at CW Games

Gold COAST, Australia: In the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, boxing was one of the sports disciplines in which Pakistan could get a silver medal. And it was no one but the now global professional fighter and two-time WBC world silver champion Mohammad Waseem who won a silver medal when he lost to Australia’s Andrew Moloney in the flyweight category final. Moloney has also turned pro now. The Kingscliff-born 27-year-old has played 16 pro bouts, winning them all, writes Alam Zeb Safi.

In this edition of the Games in Gold Coast, Pakistan’s highly experienced fighter Awais Ali Khan and young Mohammad Asif will enter the ring for their respective weight categories quarter-finals on Wednesday (today) here at the Oxenford Studios boxing arena.

The 30-year-old Awais, who got bye in the first round in the 81 kilogramme competition draws carrying 13 fighters, will face Ato Plodzicki Faoagali of Samoa in the quarter-finals which will begin at 9:17 local time.

It will be a battle between experience and youthful talent as the 19-year-old Plodzicki has cleared the first test by beating Jamaica’s Ian Darby 5-0 in the pre-quarter-finals.

Awais, who belongs to Attock, has no international medal to his credit but he has a load of experience, having played in several international events. He has been Pakistan’s main boxer since Waseem turned pro in early 2015 after claiming bronze in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

Asif, who succeeded Waseem in the amateur circuit in the flyweight category, will meet Reece McFaddin of Scotland in the 52kg quarter-finals. Asif on Monday defeated Brian Agina of Kenya 4-1 in the pre-quarter-finals.

A win from any of the two will at least ensure Pakistan’s medal in boxing. Pakistan’s coach Arshad Hussain, who claimed bronze in the 60kg in the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games, is optimistic.

“I am confident that both will progress to the semi-finals,” Arshad told ‘The News’ here just before two-hour final practice session of the two. “Asif played really well the other day and Awais’ morale is also high,” Arshad said.

Gul Zeb (69kg) and Ali Ahmed (60kg) have already exited. Arshad was also satisfied with the performance from the Pakistani lot so far. “I am hundred per cent satisfied. It is very difficult to produce such a performance through only one-and-a-half-month training,” said Arshad, an AIBA 3-star coach.

Awais competed in World Championship last year in Hamburg and the 23-year-old Asif is a silver medallist of the 2016 India South Asian Games.

He also participated in the 2017 Asian Championships in Tashkent and Islamic Games in Baku the same year. Besides, he featured in an international event in Chinese Taipei.

Arshad said the best lot had been picked for the Gold Coast 2018. “We picked the cream. Ali Ahmed lost yesterday but he fought bravely. His performance was encouraging,” the coach added.Arshad said that Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) plans to provide international exposure to the budding fighters ahead of the Asian Games. “On the basis of the result of this event we will plan for the Asian Games. The PBF president plans to manage a foreign tour or to organise a joint training camp in Pakistan. If it happens it will help our fighters a lot ahead of the Asiad,” Arshad claimed. The Asian Games are pencilled in for August 18 to September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Palembang and Jakarta.