35th Pakistan National Boxing Championships

Veteran Ahmed Ali wins in the 35th Pakistan National Boxing Championships
The 35th edition of the Pakistan National Boxing Championships was held in the Benazir Bhutto Sports Complex in Karachi where the winners have got good chance to compete for his nation in the upcoming South Asian Games and AIBA Asian & Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament.
President of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) retired Lt. Gen. Syed Arif Hasan and President of the Pakistan Boxing Federation Mr. Doda Khan Bhutto were the special guests of the 35th Pakistan National Boxing Championships. Altogether 130 men boxers from 15 units attended in the national competition in Karachi.
Pakistan Army became the best team of the national event, Pakistan Air Force was the runner-up, while WAPDA Team ranked as third. Pakistan Navy won only one gold medal and ranked as No.4 in the 35th edition of the Pakistan National Boxing Championships.
Pakistan’s best Light Flyweight class (49 kg) boxer Mohibullah Bacha, who took part in the 2015 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Bangkok, secured the first gold medal of the event where he was able to beat Dawood Khan in the semi-final and Army’s Hasnain in the final of the lowest weight class.
Two-time National Champion Muhammad Syed Asif defeated for the gold former Asian Cadet Champion 28-year-old Muhammad Nisar Khan who has been competing in the international level since 2004. Syed Asif did not compete in any major international boxing tournament yet but probably his time will come in 2016.
Relatively unknown Naqeebullah defeated Army’s Mohammad Farhan in the final of the Bantamweight class (56 kg) while experienced Nadir Baloch of Sindh and Nadir Khan of Navy claimed only bronze medals. Former South Asian Games gold medallist Naimatullah returned to the world of boxing and the 24-year-old hope defeated Ahmed Ali in the final of the Lightweight class (60 kg).
Gul Zaib of Army defeated the top favourite of the Light Welterweight class (64 kg) Qadir Khan of Navy which was a big surprise and a revenge before his previous loss. Arshad Hussain shocked national team member 24-year-old Aamir Khan in the final of the Welterweight class (69 kg). Arshad Hussain is the cousin of Pakistan’s best karate player Saadi Abbas. National Selection Tournament winner Muneer Ahmed and experienced Mir Baloch claimed only bronze medals at the Welterweight class (69 kg).
Navy’s National Selection Tournament silver medallist Tanveer Ahmed defeated Jawed Akhtar of Railways while Mohammad Amjad and Mohammad Asif of Army claimed bronze medals in Karachi. Pakistan’s national team member at the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) Awais Ali Khan who took part in the World Military Games in October defeated Naeem in the final of the event.
Athens 2004 Olympian 38-year-old Ahmed Ali of Army defeated 22-year-old Sanaullah of WAPDA The Pakistani veteran was involved to the national team in 1997 and this was his last bout. He is planning to serve Pakistan’s boxing life as a coach in the future but in his last boxing event he was able to stop his younger opponent in the first round.
“This was the last bout of my career. I am satisfied with my boxing life. I played for Pakistan from 1997 to 2015 and collected 40 gold including four international, 8 silver and 4 bronze medals. I will now opt for coaching,” said Ahmed Ali who won his last bout during his long and successful boxing career.
Pakistan Air Force’s Mehmood Ul Hassan was the lone boxer of the country who could qualify to the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships. He defeated strong Mir Wais Khan before the medal bouts and triumphed over Yasir Jameel in the gold medal bout while veteran Yasir Javed claimed only bronze in Karachi.

Winners in the 35th Pakistan National Boxing Championships
49 kg: Mohibullah Bacha
52 kg: Muhammad Syed Asif
56 kg: Naqeebullah
60 kg: Naimatullah
64 kg: Gul Zaib
69 kg: Arshad Hussain
75 kg: Tanveer Ahmed
81 kg: Awais Ali Khan
91 kg: Ahmed Ali
+91 kg: Mehmood Ul Hassan