Sports
Waseem ready to take on Jakrawut in WBA title defence | The Express Tribune
The 38-year-old trained in Liverpool for the event that will feature at least 38 international boxers in Lahore
Muhammad Waseem with his World Boxing Association World Gold title belt. PHOTO COURTESY: MUHAMMAD WASEEM
KARACHI:
“I am trying my best and doing everything for the big fight night on November 29,” Pakistan’s solitary World Boxing Association Gold World Bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem exclaimed as he is staging the biggest boxing event, where he is defending his title against Thailand’s Jakrawut Majungoen.
Waseem had been training in Liverpool with his coach, Danny Vaughan, and he will be fulfilling his dream of defending the title on home turf.
The 38-year-old also held the fight in Quetta in May, with the help of the Pakistan Army and the Balochistan Government, where international boxers and officials came to the country to witness the first professional bout backed by one of the four recognized boxing bodies in the world.
On Saturday, November 29, the main card flaunts more than seven bouts, and the event features at least 38 foreign boxers and six Pakistani pugilists at Lahore’s Garrison Club.
Waseem, also known as Falcon, has also been working with WBA to promote boxing in Pakistan.
With this bout, he will be bringing boxers from the United Kingdom, the US, Mexico, Germany, and France, according to details shared by Punjab Minister of Sports Faisal Ayub Khokhar, who also toured the Garrison Club for the ‘Fight for Glory’ event.
The provincial minister is also ensuring excellent security arrangements, as this will be the first time the country is hosting 38 foreign boxers at once.
However, with all the hype, Waseem, with his orthodox stance, will be taking on south paw Jakrawut, for which he has worked hard.
“I’ve been training very hard because there is a lot on the line for me,” Waseem told this correspondent from Liverpool, where he was training and putting in at least five hours every day.
“The game plan will be different against Jakrawut than my previous opponent, of course, and mainly there is a focus on combinations; he is a south paw as well, so I am training accordingly.
Later, he took on Sunny Edwards for the International Boxing Federation World flyweight title in 2021, which he lost, but finally won another major bout with the WBA Gold World title in May this year.
Waseem has won accolades for Pakistan in amateur boxing, too, but his professional record is also impressive, with 14 wins out of 16 bouts, and posting 10 knockouts in them.
“Most of the efforts go into strength training, weight, and technique, but also it becomes very hectic at times, because I have to travel at least two hours to Manchester, where I have to spar,” he added.
He added that sparring partners he had in the UK were all helpful in preparing for the fight, as he also gets support from the boxing community in the UK.
“I had amazing sparring partners, and a few of them were also professional boxers, one of them was Indian as well, but the rest of them were English.
“Normally, it is not easy to find sparring partners in the UK, but they are helping me for nothing, only out of goodwill.
“It is encouraging, and for that I have to travel 40 miles from Liverpool. A lot of my time is spent in travelling after training for the fight, and at times, it does become difficult to be out here, away from my two children, and my family, but I believe that this event can be a great trendsetter for Pakistan,” said Waseem, who has previously won the World Boxing Council silver flyweight title in 2016, and successfully defended it as well the same year.
He is also getting American rapper Mr Cappone-E to open for him, while at the heart of it all is to give a taste of professional boxing to the Pakistani sports lovers and, more importantly, a chance to Pakistani boxers to compete in an international event.
With this event, the goal is to make boxing an accessible sport for both the fans and the boxers.
“I am coming from Quetta, and I am always connected to the boxing community, and it breaks my heart that most of the time they are ignored and deprived of opportunities that can change their lives.
“So my goal is to provide exposure for them, help professional boxing take root in Pakistan, too. “We are also making sure that we assist women boxers to have their spot in our event, because at the end of the day, all of this will build our boxing community up.
“I am also grateful to the government of Punjab and the Army for helping me in this, because holding an event of this magnitude wouldn’t be possible without their support,” he concluded.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has announced a major uplift in incentives for Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises, linking financial rewards not only to on-field performance but also to contributions toward cricket development, beginning with the PSL 2026 season.
In an update shared on X on Friday, Naqvi revealed a revised rewards structure under which the PSL 2026 champions will receive $500,000, while the runners-up will take home $300,000, in addition to the official prize money that will be disclosed later.
The PCB chairman also introduced a new category: a $200,000 award for the “Best Franchise Contributing to Cricket Development,” aimed at encouraging long-term investment in nurturing talent and strengthening the sport’s infrastructure.
Naqvi stated that the newly announced prize money for the franchises will come in effect from PSL 2026 season onwards.
“Let’s take Pakistan cricket to new heights,” Naqvi wrote in his announcement
Manchester United are considering a move to bring Scott McTominay back to Old Trafford but could face competition from Arsenal, while Liverpool are interested in activating Antoine Semenyo‘s release clause in January. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Arsenal and Manchester United have sounded out a move for Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, TEAMtalk reports. The former United player has enjoyed a career-best spell in Serie A since making his £25 million move last year, most notably winning the MVP award last season as his side lifted the Scudetto. The 28-year-old also scored a stunning overhead kick against Denmark earlier this week to help Scotland qualify for their first World Cup finals since 1998. As such, the player is wanted by a host of Premier League clubs, who would need to stump up at least £70m to secure his services next summer.
– Liverpool are “seriously interested” in Antoine Semenyo, whose £60m release clause becomes active in January, Fabrizio Romano reports. Bournemouth hope they can retain the winger until June, when his release clause drops to around £50m. However, the final decision is likely to be with Semenyo, who may well be the subject of several offers in January. Alongside Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have also been linked with the 25-year-old, who has nine goal involvements in 11 Premier League matches so far this season.
– Manchester United are tracking Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, according to The Times. United view the England international as a potential long-term replacement for Casemiro, who is expected to leave Old Trafford next summer. Anderson has also been linked with Liverpool and Newcastle United, despite recently being valued at around the £100m mark. The 23-year-old has been a standout performer for Forest this season, and has also established himself as a regular starter for England under manager Thomas Tuchel.
– Inter Milan are interested in signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in January amid doubts over Yann Sommer‘s future at the club, according to Football Insider. The Argentina international was heavily linked with a transfer back in the summer, but a reported move to Manchester United ultimately failed to materialize. Villa are willing to sanction a midseason exit as long as a suitable replacement can be found.
– Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are concretely interested in Anderlecht midfielder Nathan De Cat, according to Sky Germany. The Belgian giants are holding out for a bid of around €25m, as De Cat is under contract until the summer of 2027. Bayer Leverkusen are also in the race to sign the youngster, who has played 14 times in the league this season for Anderlecht, scoring once. He is also a Belgium under-18 international with four caps to his name.
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OTHER RUMORS
– Liverpool are battling to retain England youth winger Joshua Abe, with Arsenal and Chelsea both pursuing the 15-year-old. (Daily Mail)
– Real Madrid and Antonio Rüdiger remain open to extending his expiring contract beyond 2026. However, interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia “remains strong”, while a return to the Premier League also cannot be ruled out. (Sky Germany)
– Harvey Elliott could be on the move in January, with clubs in the Bundesliga and Serie A interested. The 22-year-old is currently on loan at Aston Villa from Liverpool but has played just 97 minutes of Premier League football for the club so far. (Football Insider)
– Bayern Munich have enquired about Nantes defender Tylel Tati, who has a €50m valuation. (Footmercato)
– Tottenham Hotspur have “zeroed in” on Porto forward Samu Aghehowa, who is viewed as the ideal profile of striker for manager Thomas Frank. (TEAMtalk)
– Sunderland have reopened talks to try to sign Matteo Guendouzi from Lazio in January. (Nicolo Schira)
– Crystal Palace defender Chadi Riad could be set for a loan move in January as he looks to rebuild match fitness. (Sky Sports News)
– Crystal Palace want to cut short the loan of Getafe forward Christantus Uche. Uche, 22, joined the Eagles on a season-long loan but the Nigerian international has played only eight minutes in the Premier League this season. (Diario AS)
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to achieve a new milestone, with the auction for two new teams scheduled for January 6, 2026.
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), only bidders who meet the technical qualifications will be allowed to participate in the auction.
The PSL has already shortlisted six cities for potential new franchises, including Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit.
PSL Chief Executive Officer, Salman Naseer, said the league is rapidly emerging as one of the best international T20 competitions.
On November 20, 2025, the PCB finalized the two new teams and the cities that will make their debut in the upcoming PSL season.
Gilgit and Faisalabad have been identified as the leading candidates for the expansion slots.
Gilgit will represent Pakistan’s northern region, while Faisalabad, a historic cricketing hub long overdue for PSL representation, is expected to join the league and contribute to its next chapter.
The final decision signals a clear intent to widen the league’s geographic footprint and provide new regions with a platform in mainstream franchise cricket.
The PCB has already completed the independent valuation process for existing PSL teams and commercial properties, a crucial step before introducing new franchises into the ecosystem.
With financial assessments finalized, the board is preparing for one of the largest structural transitions in PSL history.
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