By Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan
KARACHI: Pakistan’s medal hopes in the international arena have got some boost as British nationality holder, Haroon Khan, who is younger brother of Light-Welter weight World Champion boxer; Amir Khan has joined Pakistan for the upcoming mega events including London Olympics 2012.
APNA News television claimed Thursday, quoting reliable sources in the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF), that Haroon Khan along with his father Shajad Khan secretly visited Karachi from Manchester. Source said that Haroon Khan, during his visit, gave trials last week and had bouts with three of the Pakistani boxers including Qadir Khan for 57kg, Nadir Baloch for 48kg and another local boxer at the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) coaching centre here in Karachi.
Pakistan’s boxing coach of Cuban origin, Francisco Hernandez Roldan and his assistant coach Abdul Majeed Brohi witnessed the trials and passed Haroon Khan to represent Pakistan in the mega events.
Haroon Khan, 18, is the younger brother of Amir Khan (Professional British boxer), and has won 70 bouts and may junior level titles in England to date. He will also be taking part in the England’s National Boxing Championship scheduled next month.
Haroon got his Pakistani passport after landing in Pakistan and sources told the channel that PBF is planning to include him in squads for the upcoming Commonwealth Games (in New Delhi, India) this year and Asian Games (in Guangzhou, China), after which, he will represent Green Shirts in the all-important London Olympics 2012.
“My aim is that at least one of my sons plays for Pakistan and make a name for the country in London Olympics 2012”, sources quoted Haroon Khan’s father Shajad Khan as saying to PBF officials.
Reliable sources also disclosed that after changing weight categories from AIBA, Pakistan’s promising boxer and captain of national side in the recently concluded South Asian Federation Games, Mohammad Waseem will return in 49kg in Commonwealth Games while Haroon Khan will fight in the 52kg weight category.
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