KARACHI: Strong pugilists of Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) matched the performance of holders Army and runners-up Wapda on the opening day of the 35th National Boxing Championship which commenced at the KPT Sports Complex on Wednesday.

Two boxers apiece of the above units have made it to the last eight as 18 pre quarter-final bouts were decided in the 49, 52, 56 and 60 kg at the time of filing this report.

One boxer each of the Navy, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Fata was also through to the quarters as medals race in the 10 weights got in to action which is participated by 142 athletes.

All the 15 affiliated units of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) were competing in the event which concludes on Nov 29.

At the outset, director general Rangers Sindh, Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, inaugurated the event at the tastefully decorated gymnasium of the KPT sports complex.

Speaking on the occasion, he said Rangers were doing their best to promote harmony and peace in the city through healthy sports activities and this event in one such example.

Amidst applause, he officially announced that Sindh Rangers will play host to the all-Pakistan Amir Khan boxing tournament in the metropolis next month.

He also shook hands with the participants and wished them success.

PBF president Doda Khan Bhutto thanked the chief guest for his blessings to the sport and the Sindh government for sponsoring the event.

The Sindh government has doled out Rs 3 million for the event.

Results:

Pre quarter-finals:

49 kg: Muhib Bacha (Wapda) bt Mohammad Farooq (K-Electric) 3-0; Zafar Khan (Gilgit-Baltistan) bt Sobhat Khan (Balochistan) 3-0; Dawood Khan (Navy) bt Hyder Zaman (Punjab) 3-0; Ubaid Ali (PAF) bt Arjun Bhutt (Railways) 3-0; Sheroz Kachi (HEC) bt Khawar Qayyum (Islamabad) 3-0; Hasnain Irshad (Army) bt Mian Uzair (Fata) technical knotout second round; Jahanzaib Khan (KPT) bt Shoiab Murad (Sindh) 3-0.

52 kg: Mohammad Farooq (Army) bt Faizan Mohammad (KPT); Syed Asif (HEC) bt Saqib Ali (Punjab) 3-0; Munir Ahmed (Balochistan) bt Eidullah (Fata) 3-0; Akbar Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Razzaq Hamdani (Islamabad) 3-0; Badshah Khan (Sindh) bt Mohammad Qavi (Railways) 3-0.

56 kg: Abdul Waheed (PAF) bt Talah Aslam (Punjab) 3-0; Nadir Baloch (Sindh) bt Zubair Aslam (Railways) technical knockout second round; Mohammad Rafiq (Fata) bt Farhad Khan (Islamabad) 3-0; Jaffer Hussain (Balochistan) bt Shehryar (KPT) 2-1; Naqibullah (Wapda) bt Munaf (Gilgit-Baltistan) 3-0.

60 kg: Naimat Khan (Islamabad) bt Salman Khan (Gilgit-Baltistan) 2-1.

Thursday’s fixtures: Bouts start at 2pm.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2015