Pakistan’s four-member boxing squad — two men and two women — is set to depart for the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, next week, with the sport’s federation secretary acknowledging the scale of the challenge ahead and calling for a long-term strategy to end a decade-long medal drought.
The squad heading to the 20th edition of the Games, which formally open on September 19, is among Pakistan’s smallest boxing contingents at a major Games in recent memory.
Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) secretary Major Irfan Younis, in an exclusive interview with Dawn earlier this week, said the sport’s recent Commonwealth Games bronze — the country’s first-ever Commonwealth medal in boxing, and the first Commonwealth medal for a Pakistani woiman — proved that the country’s boxers possess the talent to compete at the highest level.
That bronze came courtesy of Fatima Zehra, who reached the semi-finals of the women’s 60kg division at Glasgow before falling to Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh, ending a wait that had stretched back 12 years for a Commonwealth boxing medal success for Pakistan.
“The only thing we lack is government support and international exposure,” Irfan told Dawn. “If these athletes don’t go abroad and compete, how can they match that level? International training is an absolute necessity.”
Irfan drew a comparison with neighbouring India, whose women boxers have become world champions.
“Our women are in no way less than them,” he said. “We have the same genetics. The only difference is exposure.”
Fatima will have another shot at a major Games medal in the Asian Games.
“Fatima Zehra is our biggest hope,” Irfan said. “InshaAllah, she will deliver.”
The other female boxer travelling to Japan will be Maria Rind (51kg), an Army athlete from Karachi’s Lyari area who was part of the Commonwealth squad but could not travel due to a lack of resources.
Male talents include Sumama Rahman (55kg), who impressed at the Commonwealth Games despite a unanimous decision loss to India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam.
“At one point he silenced the entire crowd with his performance,” Irfan recalled. “He lost but he’s a very good fighter.”
Irfan Khan (92kg), a six-time national champion from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is set to make his international debut.
On selection, Irfan said the federation relies primarily on the National Championships.
“We don’t send anyone without them being a national champion,” he said. However, if an outstanding boxer loses in the final due to injury or medical unfitness, the federation holds a trial to reassess their case.
Irfan acknowledged that Pakistan’s medal hopes at the Asian Games — a tougher competition than the Commonwealth due to the presence of boxing powerhouses Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and India — could hinge on the draw.
“The draw is held a day before, and if your first bout is against a defending champion, then it’s up to your luck,” he said. “At the Olympics, these countries had five gold medals. The competition will be very tough.”
Camp and Army support
The squad has been training at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad since August 24, following an earlier camp in Rawalpindi supported by the Army and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).
Irfan credited the Army for playing a pivotal role in the Commonwealth campaign, arranging a two-month training camp and covering all expenses, including diet and accommodation.
Currently, the federation has a one-month camp running at the PSB complex until September 15. However, Irfan said the facilities provided were limited — only two boys and two girls, with one sparring partner available.
“In boxing, you need sparring partners of your own weight, slightly above or below, left-handers and right-handers, speed players — different types of partners,” Irfan explained.
To address the shortage, the federation requested additional support from the Army, which has provided its best available athletes, who travel daily by bus to train with the squad before returning.
“The Army has supported us well,” he said.
Pakistan’s last Asian Games boxing medal came in 2014, when Mohammad Waseem took bronze in Incheon, South Korea, before later turning professional and going on to win a WBA World Gold title.
The podium has eluded Pakistani boxers ever since, with blank returns at the 2018 Jakarta and 2023 Hangzhou editions.
Funding woes
Financial constraints remain a central concern. Irfan revealed that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is sponsoring only two boxers — one male and one female — due to budget limitations, with the PBF managing the expenses of the remaining four members of the delegation out of its own pocket.
The seven-member contingent includes four boxers, a team manager and two coaches (one for men, one for women).
“To send one athlete to an international competition, we need almost a million rupees,” he said.
The federation has identified talent pools across Under-17, Under-19 and Under-22 categories and finalised them through their championships, but is struggling to hold more events due to budget constraints.
“A National Championship alone costs around five million rupees,” he revealed.
Looking ahead to South Asian Games
Looking further ahead, Irfan said the federation is already eyeing the South Asian Games, scheduled to be held across Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar from April 3 to 11 next year — with India among the expected participants.
“South Asian Games will be a significant tournament because Indian boxing has improved a lot with the help of international coaches,” Irfan noted. “So to compete against them we need to put in a lot of efforts.”
“We don’t want Indian boxers to dominate here, which as of now seems to be the case because they have improved a lot,” he added. “So our focus is to build a strategy and give our boxers the best shot when the time comes.”
To that end, Irfan said the federation is planning to hold an all-Pakistan or National Championship as part of its preparations.
Qudratullah’s disappearance
The secretary also addressed the disappearance of boxer Qudratullah, who failed to return with the national contingent after the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 20-year-old, who lost to Northern Ireland’s Jude Gallagher in the men’s 60kg category at the Games, went missing from his room at the athletes’ accommodation shortly before the contingent’s scheduled departure, despite his passport remaining in the custody of the team’s head of contingent, as is standard practice.
It is not the first such case to affect Pakistani boxing — two boxers, Suleman Baloch and Nazeerullah Khan, went missing after the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and boxer Zohaib Rasheed disappeared in Italy in 2024 while competing at an Olympic qualifying event.
Irfan said internal inquiries into Qudratullah’s case are ongoing but declined to disclose details, citing the athlete’s military affiliation.
“What hurts me is that I brought this boy into boxing when he used to make parathas at a cafe in Quetta,” Irfan said, his voice heavy with emotion.
“I put so much effort into him, made him a champion-level boxer — he was my Olympic hope. When someone like that betrays you, it breaks your heart,” he lamented.
“I joined the Army, boxed for 10-11 years, gave everything to boxing. And when someone puts in that kind of effort and this happens, it hurts deeply.”
Despite the setbacks, Irfan remained optimistic about the sport’s future. Pakistan’s focus, he said, has now shifted to the South Asian Games at home in April next year, with the Asian Games serving as a critical milestone on the road to the 2028 Olympics.
The team is due to leave for Japan on September 17, two days before the opening ceremony.
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