British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan has announced to launch next version of Super Boxing League in native country Pakistan.
Taking the idea of his partner, Bill Dosanjh, a step further and in a bid to promote boxing in the South Asian country the former world champion will now be championing the cause of bringing raw talent to the forefront and give them a platform for recognition.
Amir announced his venture at a Press conference at the Amir Khan Boxing Academy in Islamabad. “I have taken the idea from my partner who is from India. He formed this league in India, so I decided to bring the league here to Pakistan,” he said.
Replete with optimism, Amir hopes that the event will prove to be beneficial for the local boxers. “The league in India was big, big hit, we had so many celebrities (who participated in the event) there (in India),” he said. “In Pakistan, each team will have a celebrity face from any field like singing, acting or others. This has never been done before. We tried this in India and it was very successful, this is my own company and I have brought this to Pakistan.”
Amir also revealed that “Super Boxing League-Pakistan” will be held in December with eight franchisee-based teams participating in the league. “There will be eight teams and each team will comprise eight boxers,” Amir announced during the Press conference.
The teams include Multan Thunders, Faisalabad Falcons, Islamabad Kings, Peshawar Warriors, Lahore Giants, Quetta Stars, Sialkot United and Karachi Devils.
He also announced that women will also be part of the league, saying that there are a lot of girls in Pakistan who want to become fighters but have not been given opportunity.
Amir also announced his developmental plan for the sport in Pakistan. He said that each city will have a boxing academy, run by professional coaches who will finalise a team and hold initial trials for the entrants.
“I am really looking forward to showing the world the talent we have in Pakistan. This is going to be great for the future of boxing in Pakistan. This is a chance for young people to win WBC belt,” Amir added.
The title of this championship will be owned by World Boxing Council and the league will provide Pakistani boxers to win a WBC belt.
Amir is a British professional boxer and a former unified light-welterweight world champion, having held the WBA (later Super) title from 2009 to 2012, and the IBF title in 2011. Additionally he held the Commonwealth lightweight title from 2007 to 2008, the WBC Silver welterweight title from 2014 to 2016, and has challenged once for a middleweight world title in 2016.
As an amateur, Amir won a the 2004 Athens Olympics, becoming Britain’s youngest boxing Olympic medallist at the age of 17.
Amir was born and raised in Bolton, Greater Manchester. His parents hailed from the Rawalpindi district in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
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