Haider Ali

Haider Ali is a retired Pakistani professional boxer who competed in the featherweight division. He achieved international distinction as a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and an Olympian.

Early life and education

Haider Ali was born on 12 November 1979 in Quetta. He decided to pursue boxing at an early age after watching Hussain Shah win a bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. This inspiration led him to rapid success within the amateur circuit.

He became the National Champion in 1998. During that same year, he won gold medals at the Green Hill International Boxing Tournament in Karachi and secured a bronze medal at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok. Although he lost to Indonesia's Hermensen Ballo in the semi-finals, his performance established him as a rising talent. He later won gold at the Imam Khomeini International Boxing Tournament in Iran during 1999.

Haider represented Pakistan in the 1999 South Asian Games, where he won a gold medal in the featherweight division. He qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but he lost 5-4 to Ramazan Palyani in the Round of 32. His amateur career continued to flourish when he earned a bronze medal at the 24th Kings Cup boxing tournament in Bangkok.

In 2002, he secured gold at the Asian Championships in Malaysia by defeating Suttisak Samaksaman. This victory earned him the title of 'The Best Boxer of the Tournament'. He then won Pakistan's first gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester by defeating India's Som Bahadur Pun with a score of 28-10.

Career

Haider moved to Leyton in East London in 2003 to begin his professional career. He signed Frank Warren as his manager and immediately entered the professional ranks. Medical examinations during this period revealed that he had two perforated eardrums, yet he continued to box at a high level without any noted impact on his performance.

After undergoing surgery, he made his professional debut at York Hall by defeating Buster Dennis via points. He followed this victory by beating Jason Nesbitt and Jus Wallie in his debut year. His momentum stalled during his fourth fight when he lost to Stevie Bell via points. In 2005, he achieved a notable victory by knocking out Jamie Arthur via a clash of heads.

Haider retired from professional fighting to transition into coaching. He coached boxing within the UK for more than 10 years. Currently, he serves as the boxing coach at Energie Fitness in Wembley, UK.

Awards and recognition

The government of Pakistan honored Haider following his success at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He received the Order of Merit along with several gifts, including a house, a Jeep, and a golden Kalashnikov rifle. He is also recognized as a recipient of the Pride of Performance.