ISLAMABAD, March 22: Pakistani boxers are confident to lay their hands on at least six golds while the wrestlers are sure they will grab two golds in the forthcoming the 9th SAF Games.

The two disciplines at SAF Games carry a total of 17 gold medals -10 in boxing and seven in wrestling. "We are sure our pugilists will clinch at least six gold medals in boxing, which will be double the number of golds they grabbed in the 8th SAF Games in 1999," said national boxing coach Zaigham Messel.

Each country is eligible to enter boxers in all but one of the 11 weight categories under international rules. "Our boys are capable of capturing medals in all the 10 events but we have at least six strong gold medal contenders," he added.

Pakistani boxers have collected 12 gold, 17 silver and 17 bronze medals from World Championship, Olympic Games, Kings Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games etc over last three years. Besides, two Pakistani boys have qualified for Athens Olympics 2004.

This time again, Zaigham said, the Indians will be Pakistan's main challengers at the SAF Games. "But we are hopeful not only to outpunch but also to outgun them." Pakistan's wrestlers will also grapple mainly with the Indians in the race for gold medals in the seven events of this discipline at the March 29-April 7 SAF Games.

"We have two strong gold medal candidates - Haider Ali in 55 kgs and Muhammad Bashir Bhola Bhala in 96-120 kgs category," said Pakistan's chief wrestling selector, Chaudhry Muhammad Khalid.

Pakistan wrestlers had taken just one gold medal in the last SAF Games. "Our wrestlers recently trained for a month in Iran where they practiced at leading wrestling clubs," Khalid said. -APP