Muhammad Waseem

Muhammad Waseem is a professional boxer from Pakistan who competes in the flyweight division. Known by his nickname "Falcon," he utilizes a quick and swift boxing style to compete at high levels. He has challenged for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title on two separate occasions, specifically in 2018 and 2022.

Early life and education

Waseem was born on 29 December 1989 in Quetta, which is a city located in Balochistan, Pakistan. He belongs to the Alizai tribe of Pashtuns, and his family roots are traced back to Mastung. The athlete is multilingual and can speak Pashto, Urdu, Balochi and Persian.

Career

Waseem began his amateur career with significant success and maintained an undefeated streak for more than 7 years. His amateur record stands at 89–16. During the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, he represented Pakistan and secured a bronze medal. He also earned a gold medal at the 2010 World Combat Games in China by defeating Dagoberto Aguero of the Dominican Republic in the final.

In 2011, Waseem won the gold medal at the 2nd Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament in Islamabad. He was also named the best boxer of that competition after he defeated Benson Gicharu of Kenya with a score of 26–9. Other notable amateur achievements include a silver medal at the 2010 South Asian Games and a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games.

Waseem turned professional in June 2015 after signing a contract with AK Promotion and Korean promoter Andy Kim. He won his first professional fight on 4 October 2015, when he captured the vacant South Korea bantamweight title by defeating Min Wook Lee. In his second professional bout, he defeated Suparyanto Doglo in the third round via a body shot. He continued his momentum by knocking down John Bajawa in the sixth round during a match in Seoul on 19 March 2016.

On 17 July 2016, Waseem defeated Jether Oliva to become the first Pakistani boxer to win the WBC Silver flyweight title. To prepare for this fight, he trained at TMT in Las Vegas under the guidance of Jeff Mayweather. He defended this title on 27 November 2016 against Giemel Magramo, winning via unanimous decision. Following this victory, he became the number 1 mandatory challenger for the WBC flyweight title.

Waseem traveled to Panama in 2017 to face Eliecer Valdez, whom he knocked out in the second round on 5 July. He followed this performance with two more knockout victories against Ivan Trejos and Jose Luis Calvo in Panama. In 2018, The Ring Magazine reported that Waseem would challenge Moruti Mthalane for the vacant IBF flyweight title. Although he dropped Mthalane with a left hand in the 11th round, Waseem lost the bout via unanimous decision.

During his career, Waseem faced various administrative challenges regarding professional opportunities. In 2012, he was chosen to be an AIBA professional (APB), but his participation was never confirmed. He stated that the federation dealt with the matter without any evolution, which he described as disappointing. Additionally, he reported being denied nominations for the World Series Boxing (WSB) by the PBF between 2010 and 2015.

Personal life

Waseem has worked with various international trainers to refine his skills in the ring. He spent two months training at the TMT gym headed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. to prepare for major professional bouts. He has since signed a contract with MTK Global to guide his career.

Awards and recognition

Waseem has earned several medals across international amateur competitions. These include a gold medal at the 2011 Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament and a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He also secured bronze medals at the 2009 Kings Cup, the 2010 Asian Games, and the 2014 Asian Games.