ISLAMABAD, Jun 16 (ABC): Pakistan’s boxing champion, Usman Wazeer has won the World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia welterweight title in the International Boxing Championship, held at Lalak Jan stadium in Gilgit.
Gilgit-Baltistan hosted the first-ever WBA tournament in a bid to promote the international sports in the region. The 22-year-old boxer, Usman Wazeer, played the lead role in bringing the international tournament to the country.
The ‘Asian Boy’ won the WBA title by knocking out Thailand’s Phatiphan Krungklang in the second round of the fight. After the victory, the boxing star extended his unbeaten record to 8-0 with five knockouts.
Moreover, Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif Hazara won the ‘Super Flyweight’ title by beating Indonesian boxer Razi Akbar in the tenth round.
A total of ten fights were scheduled, with three being title fights, while the other seven were part of the international boxing rankings.
Athletes from ten countries, including Pakistan, Thailand, Afghanistan, UAE, Cameroon, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Nigeria and the Philippines took part in the international event.
International boxers who participated in the championship included Nigeria’s Abiola Mashood Atobateli, Thailand’s Phatiphan Krungklang, Indonesia’s Razi Akbar, South Korea’s Taekyum King, and Syed Asif Shah Hazara.
According to a private TV channel, around ten thousand ecstatic spectators watched the games at the venue, while more than three million people watched the championship live on local sports channel.
The boxing championship not only made headlines internationally, but also helped in introducing the spectacular beauty of Gilgit-Baltistan to the world.