Waseem plans to resume training in Islamabad soon

KARACHI: Pakistan's premier professional boxer Mohammad Waseem plans to resume his training in the next few days in Islamabad for his next world title shot which he expects to be held in June or July.

"I am now getting ready for resumption of my training for my next world title fight which is expected to be held in either June or July," Waseem told 'The News' in an interview after returning from Dubai where he lost his world title bout against England's Sunny Edwards at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Centre on March 19. Waseem, who boxed superbly, termed the referee "highly unfair" following his loss to Edwards.

"I have gained weight sharply in just a few days and will be moving to Islamabad in a few days where my plan is to resume training in the start of Ramadan," he said. "In the first phase I will focus on weight training, running and to keep top fitness and will then plan accordingly when I know about my next fight. But there is every chance that I will get a world title fight mostly probably in the WBA in June or July," said Waseem, who is WBA No1 and IBF No3 boxer.

He is also the WBC flyweight world silver champion, the title which he achieved for the third time last year in Dubai. "There is also the possibility to fight for the unification title of two world bodies but nothing is final. My coach Danny Vaughan has also told me that I will be able to get a world title fight soon," Waseem said.

"For the last fight I had worked really hard for three months and you saw how I fought. It was really shocking for me that I could not get the title but I am happy with the way I played and the whole world saw how I dominated the fight against Edwards," Waseem said.

He said in Islamabad he will need a running space at the Pakistan Sports Complex. "I will run at 11pm and I will definitely need a space at the Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad which is quite secure. I hope DG PSB Col (retd) Mohammad Asif Zaman will help me in that matter. I will need an unchecked entry into the facility," said Waseem, also a former Asian Games bronze medallist.

When Asif Zaman was contacted he said Waseem would be given every kind of facility. "There is no issue in this. We will make a card for him and he will face no issue in entry into the complex. He is our pride and we will fully back him," Asif told this correspondent.

Waseem said that he would not rest until he achieved the world crown. He said he wanted to win the world title this year. "I will not take rest. It's my mission. There is still enough boxing left in me and I can win laurels at the world level for the next few years," he said.

About Pakistan's young talent, Waseem said there is enough potential in the young lot. "Pakistan is a fertile land and in Quetta especially there is immense talent.