Karachi: Pakistan boxing administrators and coach Francisco Hernandez Roldan seem to be on collision course as the former are confident that British-born Haroon Khan will represent Pakistan at forthcoming events while the latter says he is not even in the probables list.
Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) president Doda Khan said that Haroon, the younger brother of world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, has been “selected” by the coach for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games to be held in October and 2012 London Olympics.
“I am 100 per cent sure that Haroon will represent Pakistan. He has now got a Pakistani passport and he will definitely be in the Pakistan squad for Commonwealth Games and Olympics. But we will not send him for the Asian Games this year as Commonwealth Games are bigger event than Asian Games. Amir is the world champion, but Haroon is even better than his elder brother,” Doda told Dawn.com.
Asked how PBF could be so sure that the British boxer would be in Commonwealth Games squad, Doda said he had earned a nod by Roldan for the New Delhi event.
Haroon made a “secret” visit to Karachi some three weeks ago and sparred with national camp trainees at Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Coaching Centre where he was watched by Roldan. Following a visit by Amir in January to watch Benazir international tournament in Karachi, PBF has now decided to bolster Pakistan’s squad by adding Pakistani origin British import Haroon.
While Haroon had left Karachi for his hometown Bolton after the “trials”, Doda believed he had still been a part of the national training camp. Interestingly, the PBF chief admitted that Haroon would not be joining the national camp in Karachi and instead Roldan and a group of boxers would be training at Amir’s academy in Bolton.
“Haroon will not join the camp here. He is training under some very good coaches in Bolton and the United States. So there is no need for him to come to Pakistan. But we will send some nine to 10 of our boxers to Bolton after one and half month. These boxers might be those who are not good enough for the Commonwealth Games but are promising.
“Roldan will accompany the boxers. But Haroon will not train under him as he already has good coaches in Bolton. This trip to England will be on Amir's invitation. The group will return and then we will have training for the Commonwealth Games here, while Haroon will continue his training in Bolton,” said Doda.
Asked when Haroon would join the camp in Karachi for the Commonwealth Games, the PBF official reluctantly said the boxer would be in Pakistan at least one and half month before the departure of the Pakistan contingent for New Delhi.
Doda said Haroon's visit was kept secret on the request of his family as they had security concerns because of country's situation.
“Haroon's family didn't want his visit to be publicised because of security concerns. That's why we didn't announce it in the media,” said Doda.
Ironically, during his visit Amir had urged the world community to support Pakistan, saying “issues of violence and terrorism had been blown out of proportion.”
Astonishingly, on the other hand Roldan did not mince words when he said Haroon had been selected for the camp not for the Commonwealth Games team.
“He (Haroon) was here in the camp sometimes ago. He wished to be the part of the camp. I told him he could be part of the camp if he wants to. But this does not mean he is in the team. You see he is not even in my list of camp trainees. At the moment, Haroon does not exist in the camp. So I can't say for sure that he will be in the team,” said Roldan in an exclusive interview with Dawn.com at the PSB Coaching Centre.
The Cuban, who took charge of Pakistan team in October last year, said he was unaware when Haroon would join the camp, but categorically said the boxer would be in the team for the Commonwealth Games only if he proved himself worthy enough.
“I don't know if Haroon is training in UK, but I think he must be training there. If a boxer is training, then there is no harm in allowing him to join the camp. But in that case he will have to prove himself that he is better than other boxers in his weight category. I believe a boxer who joins the camp one or two months before the event cannot prove himself better than others,” said the Cuban.
Roldan said Haroon seemed to be a good and promising boxer and could improve in the future through more training. On reports that Haroon would be accommodated in flyweight category while Muhammad Waseem will reduce his weight, the coach said there was no question of such a move since Haroon had yet to join the camp.
“I saw him spar for just 20 minutes when he came here. He was good so I told him he could join the camp and that's all. Ideally, I want him in the camp tomorrow. But if he wants to be here after two months, or just two months before the game, I will allow him but again, he needs to prove himself. I have the final say in the selection and PBF does not interfere in selection matters.”
Roldan, who claims to have coached 1998 world champion Manuel Mantillo and junior world champions Noelia Veitia and Stalin Lopez, said he came to know about Haroon's arrival through his trainees.
Ali Bukhsh, one of the six national coaches, said he was not aware of Haroon's trial and was not invited to watch the boxer by the PBF.
“I don't know when he came, when he will join or would he really join the camp or if he has been selected for any event. I never saw him in action and was not invited.”
Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) president Doda Khan said that Haroon, the younger brother of world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, has been “selected” by the coach for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games to be held in October and 2012 London Olympics.
“I am 100 per cent sure that Haroon will represent Pakistan. He has now got a Pakistani passport and he will definitely be in the Pakistan squad for Commonwealth Games and Olympics. But we will not send him for the Asian Games this year as Commonwealth Games are bigger event than Asian Games. Amir is the world champion, but Haroon is even better than his elder brother,” Doda told Dawn.com.
Asked how PBF could be so sure that the British boxer would be in Commonwealth Games squad, Doda said he had earned a nod by Roldan for the New Delhi event.
Haroon made a “secret” visit to Karachi some three weeks ago and sparred with national camp trainees at Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Coaching Centre where he was watched by Roldan. Following a visit by Amir in January to watch Benazir international tournament in Karachi, PBF has now decided to bolster Pakistan’s squad by adding Pakistani origin British import Haroon.
While Haroon had left Karachi for his hometown Bolton after the “trials”, Doda believed he had still been a part of the national training camp. Interestingly, the PBF chief admitted that Haroon would not be joining the national camp in Karachi and instead Roldan and a group of boxers would be training at Amir’s academy in Bolton.
“Haroon will not join the camp here. He is training under some very good coaches in Bolton and the United States. So there is no need for him to come to Pakistan. But we will send some nine to 10 of our boxers to Bolton after one and half month. These boxers might be those who are not good enough for the Commonwealth Games but are promising.
“Roldan will accompany the boxers. But Haroon will not train under him as he already has good coaches in Bolton. This trip to England will be on Amir's invitation. The group will return and then we will have training for the Commonwealth Games here, while Haroon will continue his training in Bolton,” said Doda.
Asked when Haroon would join the camp in Karachi for the Commonwealth Games, the PBF official reluctantly said the boxer would be in Pakistan at least one and half month before the departure of the Pakistan contingent for New Delhi.
Doda said Haroon's visit was kept secret on the request of his family as they had security concerns because of country's situation.
“Haroon's family didn't want his visit to be publicised because of security concerns. That's why we didn't announce it in the media,” said Doda.
Ironically, during his visit Amir had urged the world community to support Pakistan, saying “issues of violence and terrorism had been blown out of proportion.”
Astonishingly, on the other hand Roldan did not mince words when he said Haroon had been selected for the camp not for the Commonwealth Games team.
“He (Haroon) was here in the camp sometimes ago. He wished to be the part of the camp. I told him he could be part of the camp if he wants to. But this does not mean he is in the team. You see he is not even in my list of camp trainees. At the moment, Haroon does not exist in the camp. So I can't say for sure that he will be in the team,” said Roldan in an exclusive interview with Dawn.com at the PSB Coaching Centre.
The Cuban, who took charge of Pakistan team in October last year, said he was unaware when Haroon would join the camp, but categorically said the boxer would be in the team for the Commonwealth Games only if he proved himself worthy enough.
“I don't know if Haroon is training in UK, but I think he must be training there. If a boxer is training, then there is no harm in allowing him to join the camp. But in that case he will have to prove himself that he is better than other boxers in his weight category. I believe a boxer who joins the camp one or two months before the event cannot prove himself better than others,” said the Cuban.
Roldan said Haroon seemed to be a good and promising boxer and could improve in the future through more training. On reports that Haroon would be accommodated in flyweight category while Muhammad Waseem will reduce his weight, the coach said there was no question of such a move since Haroon had yet to join the camp.
“I saw him spar for just 20 minutes when he came here. He was good so I told him he could join the camp and that's all. Ideally, I want him in the camp tomorrow. But if he wants to be here after two months, or just two months before the game, I will allow him but again, he needs to prove himself. I have the final say in the selection and PBF does not interfere in selection matters.”
Roldan, who claims to have coached 1998 world champion Manuel Mantillo and junior world champions Noelia Veitia and Stalin Lopez, said he came to know about Haroon's arrival through his trainees.
Ali Bukhsh, one of the six national coaches, said he was not aware of Haroon's trial and was not invited to watch the boxer by the PBF.
“I don't know when he came, when he will join or would he really join the camp or if he has been selected for any event. I never saw him in action and was not invited.”
Comments