Pakistan will send a four-member boxing squad to the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, with hopes of ending a long medal drought.
The national squad includes two male and two female boxers. The team is scheduled to leave for Japan on September 17.
The Asian Games will officially begin on September 19.
Pakistan has not won an Asian Games boxing medal since 2014. Mohammad Waseem secured bronze at the Incheon Asian Games in South Korea that year.
Since then, Pakistani boxers have returned without medals from the 2018 Jakarta and 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Pakistan Boxing Federation Secretary Major Irfan Younis acknowledged that the challenge in Nagoya will be significant.
Asian boxing includes some of the strongest nations in the world. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and India are expected to provide serious competition.
However, the federation believes Pakistan has enough talent to challenge for the podium if its boxers receive favourable draws and perform at their best.
Fatima Zehra Emerges as Pakistan’s Strongest Medal Hope
Fatima Zehra will be Pakistan’s leading medal prospect in the women’s 60kg category.
She recently made history at the Commonwealth Games by winning a bronze medal.
Her achievement ended Pakistan’s 12-year wait for a Commonwealth boxing medal. She also became the first Pakistani woman to win a Commonwealth medal in boxing.
Fatima reached the semi-finals in Glasgow before losing to Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh.
The Pakistan Boxing Federation believes her Commonwealth performance shows she can compete against leading international opponents.
Major Irfan described Fatima as Pakistan’s strongest medal hope heading into the Asian Games.
She will be joined in the women’s squad by Maria Rind, who will compete in the 51kg category.
Maria is an Army athlete from Karachi’s Lyari area.
She had also been selected for the Commonwealth Games squad. However, financial limitations prevented her from travelling for that competition.
The federation now expects her to use the Asian Games opportunity to gain important international experience.
Pakistan’s male boxing representation will feature Sumama Rahman in the 55kg category and Irfan Khan in the 92kg division.
Sumama impressed officials during the Commonwealth Games despite losing by unanimous decision against India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam.
Federation officials believe his performance showed the potential required to compete internationally.
Irfan Khan, meanwhile, is a six-time national champion from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Asian Games will mark his international debut.
Tough Draw Could Decide Pakistan’s Medal Chances
The federation expects the competition in Japan to be significantly tougher than the Commonwealth Games.
Asian boxing powerhouses have consistently performed strongly at major international competitions, including the Olympics.
Major Irfan said the tournament draw could play an important role in Pakistan’s chances.
A boxer could face a defending champion or another leading international athlete in the opening round.
That could immediately make the path towards a medal much more difficult.
Pakistan selects its boxers primarily through performances at the National Championships.
According to the federation, national champions are normally given preference for major international events.
Trials may be conducted in exceptional circumstances. These include cases where a leading boxer loses because of injury or medical problems.
The federation believes Pakistan has talented athletes but needs significantly greater international exposure.
Officials say regular overseas competitions and training camps are necessary if Pakistani boxers are to compete with established boxing nations.
Major Irfan pointed towards India’s growing success in women’s boxing.
He believes Pakistan’s athletes have similar physical potential but lack the same level of international preparation and competitive exposure.
Training Camp Faces Sparring Partner Shortage
Pakistan’s Asian Games squad has been preparing at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad since August 24.
The current training camp is scheduled to continue until September 15.
An earlier camp in Rawalpindi was supported by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Olympic Association.
The Army also provided significant support during Pakistan’s Commonwealth Games preparations.
It arranged a two-month training camp and covered expenses including accommodation and diet.
However, preparations for the Asian Games have faced limitations.
The current camp includes only two male and two female boxers, along with a limited number of sparring partners.
Boxing preparation requires athletes to train against opponents with different styles and physical characteristics.
Boxers need sparring partners from similar weight categories. They also benefit from facing both left-handed and right-handed fighters.
Different levels of speed, movement and technique are also important during preparation.
To address the shortage, the federation sought additional assistance from the Army.
Army athletes have since been travelling to the camp to provide additional sparring opportunities for the national squad.
Officials believe this support has helped improve training conditions before the team’s departure.
Funding Crisis Limits Pakistan’s Boxing Development
Financial problems remain one of the biggest challenges facing Pakistan boxing.
According to the federation secretary, the Pakistan Sports Board is sponsoring only two boxers for the Asian Games because of budget constraints.
The funding reportedly covers one male and one female athlete.
The Pakistan Boxing Federation is arranging expenses for the remaining members of the delegation from its own resources.
Pakistan’s seven-member delegation consists of four boxers, a team manager and two coaches.
Separate coaches will work with the men’s and women’s teams.
Major Irfan estimated that sending a single athlete to an international competition can cost nearly Rs1 million.
The federation has already identified promising boxers at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-22 levels.
However, limited finances have made it difficult to organise regular national competitions and development programmes.
According to federation estimates, holding one National Championship can cost around Rs5 million.
Officials believe this lack of funding directly affects Pakistan’s ability to develop boxers for major international competitions.
Without regular events, international camps and overseas exposure, young fighters struggle to close the gap with better-funded countries.
South Asian Games Already in Pakistan’s Plans
The federation is also preparing for the next South Asian Games.
The competition is scheduled to take place across Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar from April 3 to April 11 next year.
India is expected to participate.
Pakistan boxing officials consider the tournament particularly important because of India’s rapid progress in the sport.
Indian boxers have benefited from international coaching and frequent exposure to major competitions.
The PBF believes Pakistan will need a comprehensive preparation strategy to compete effectively on home soil.
Plans include organising an all-Pakistan or National Championship ahead of the South Asian Games.
The federation wants to identify its strongest athletes early and provide them with better preparation.
The Asian Games will therefore serve as an important test before the South Asian Games and the longer-term road towards the 2028 Olympics.
Federation Addresses Boxer’s Disappearance After Commonwealth Games
The federation has also addressed the case of boxer Qudratullah, who did not return with Pakistan’s contingent after the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 20-year-old had competed in the men’s 60kg category.
He lost his Commonwealth Games bout against Northern Ireland’s Jude Gallagher.
According to the federation, Qudratullah later disappeared from the athletes’ accommodation shortly before the Pakistani contingent was scheduled to leave.
His passport reportedly remained with the head of the contingent under the team’s standard procedure.
Major Irfan said internal inquiries into the matter remain underway.
He declined to provide further details because of the athlete’s military affiliation.
Pakistani boxing has faced similar incidents in previous international competitions.
Suleman Baloch and Nazeerullah Khan were reported missing following the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Boxer Zohaib Rasheed also disappeared in Italy in 2024 while participating in an Olympic qualification event.
The federation secretary expressed disappointment over Qudratullah’s case, saying significant effort had been invested in developing him as an athlete.
Despite financial problems, limited international exposure and other setbacks, the federation remains focused on rebuilding Pakistan’s boxing programme.
The immediate challenge will come in Nagoya.
Four boxers will attempt to achieve what Pakistan has not managed at the Asian Games for more than a decade: return home with a boxing medal.
