Pakistan boxers to feature in Olympic qualifiers in China

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani boxers in a bid to qualify for next year's Olympics would be featuring in the Asia-Oceania Boxing Championship to be staged in China, officials said on Wednesday.

Pakistani boxing team coach Arshad Hussain said that they are preparing national pugilists for the qualifiers to be held in Chinese city of Qian'an from March 23 to April 3, 2016.

Around 25 Pakistani boxers are currently attending the training camp in preparations for 2016 South Asian Games and Olympic qualifying tournament.

"It will be tough qualifying event. But got few good boxers, who are capable of doing well," Hussain said.

Olympian Hussain, who won three gold medals at the South Asian Games, said Pakistan boxers needed luck and good draw to qualify for the Olympics.

The coach said he believed Nadir Baloch, Ovais Ali Khan, Naimatullah can book berths in the Olympics.

Over the years, Pakistani boxers failed to show extraordinary performance at the World Championships which is in sharp contrast to their performance at the Asian and South Asian levels.

Pakistan won the only bronze medal in boxing at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.