KARACHI Pinning hopes on the young brigade to win at least three gold medals, two Pakistan teams launch their campaign in the Benazir Bhutto international boxing tournament which begins sans star boxers at KPT Sports Complex from Saturday.
 
Pakistan coach Francisco Hernandez Roldan is optimistic that his trainees will not disappoint him and the nation and, in all probability, they will win at least three golds in the event to be staged between Jan 2 and 8.
 
'I am sure that we will win at least three gold medals in the tournament. But I will not prefer to disclose the names of the boxers I expect to win or even their weight categories. But what I can say is that at least three gold medals must come,' said Roldan while talking to Dawn.com on Friday.
 
Although Roldan did not divulge the names, one of the six coaches appointed by the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF), Ali Bukhsh is pinning hopes on Pakistan Greens' flyweight Mohammad Waseem, bantamweight Niamatullah, featherweight Abid Ali and Pakistan Whites' middleweight Nisar Khan.
 
'These four (Waseem, Niamatullah, Abid and Nisar) are the boxers on whom we can rely. I expect Pakistan to win at least three golds in the tournament. They (the boxers) have trained well and we hope to win some medals,' Ali told Dawn.com at a local hotel where the participating teams are staying.
 
While Roldan refused to disclose the boxers' names or even the weight categories and Ali hopes to win the medals in the lighter weight categories, it is believed that if Pakistan win medals it might be in heavier weight divisions as local boxers are likely to get more byes in those weights because of less number of boxers.
 
However, picture might become clear after Saturday's draw after the arrival of all the team as Kenya, Syria , and Thailand have not reached till the filing of this report. The three teams are expected to reach Karachi by tomorrow (Saturday).
 
Other participating teams are, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Chinese Taipei, Hungary, India , Iraq , Mongolia , Singapore , Sri Lanka , Yemen, Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
 
PBF had invited 56 countries of which initially 26 confirmed, but eventually 20 teams have sent their official confirmation in the tournament.
 
Although on paper the tournament seems to be top-class “boxing extravaganza” having some powerhouses, in reality it has already degenerated into a second-rate event. The reason is that almost all the participants have fielded their inexperienced or mediocre boxers, while the real stars will be missing, taking the gloss off the event.
 
The event will indeed see some top boxing nations in action such as Uzbekistan, Thailand, China, India, and Mongolia. But all they have are some young and handful pugilists, seeking to enhance their skills.
 
For instance, Uzbekistan, who have only four boxers, have not brought a single top class fighter, while Thailand's Beijing Olympics flyweight gold medallist Somjit Jongjohor and light-welterweight Beijing Games silver winner Manus Boonjumnong will not be seen in action here.
 
India's top boxer, Vijender Kumar, who win the first-ever Olympic medal in boxing for India when grabbed the bronze at Beijing Games, is also not among the team, whereas China's 2005 world champion and Beijing Games gold winner light-flyweight Zhou Shiming, super-heavyweight silver medalist Zhilei Zhang, and welterweight bronze winner Silamu Hanati are also not in the Chinese squad.
 
Though Mongolia are being considered tough side, it seems to be formidable only on paper as bantamweight Badar-Uugan Enkhbat, who won the gold in Beijing, and his countryman light-flyweight silver medallist Serdamba Purevdorj will not be in the ring.
 
From some countries there will be 'token participation'. Singapore has sent only one boxer, while Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Hungary, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Vietnam will have three boxers each.
 
Although it is the best opportunity for Pakistan to win the event having fielded highest number of 22 boxers in two squads, Uzbekistan, China and Thailand might emerge as the winners. Pakistan will not be having star boxer Mehrullah in the ranks as he has been dropped apparently because of poor form.
 
Surprisingly, sources said PBF has changed some boxers after the official announcement of the squads. Roldan says it was done as 'some other boxers performed better after the announcement of the squad.'
 
While usually the coach selects the team for any event, all six coaches are involved in the process with a huge possibility of intervention by the PBF officials. But Roldan seems to be satisfied with the selection and the system.
 
'I am not doing the selection. Instead, I and all the coaches are involved in selecting the boxers. This way I get local input also,' said Roldan.