In the WBA flyweight rankings, Muhammad Waseem is now the top-ranked Pakistani boxer. Waseem has risen to the top of the division following his victory over Colombian Robert Barrera in Dubai earlier this month. Waseem has returned to the top of the flyweight rankings for the first time in four years.
Despite Barrera’s best efforts, Waseem prevailed in the fight. A unanimous decision victory gave him the WBC Silver World Title and the WBA World Eliminator, making him the first Pakistani boxer to accomplish this feat. It was a historic achievement for Waseem to become the first Pakistani to win back-to-back world titles.
Another major step had been taken by ‘The Falcon’ in his quest for the Flyweight World Championship. While the Pakistani government did not provide Waseem with any financial assistance in preparing for his fight with Barrera, the Pakistani boxer was able to achieve success for his country despite the lack of assistance. Waseem’s last fight was in 2020, when he faced Jeny Boy Boca of the Philippines in Lahore.
The WBA flyweight champion, who is 34 years old, said he was proud of his WBA number one ranking, but disappointed that he received little support from the authorities. Waseem claimed that the government has only ever supported cricket in Pakistan, ignoring all other forms of athletic competition.
Cricket is hardly played in 10 to 12 countries and yet when a cricketer is ranked at the top, everyone goes crazy. On the other hand, boxing is a sport played in more than 200 countries. It is very, very tough to get to the top in any weight category, and yet, when someone from [Pakistan] reaches the top spot, nobody notices,” Waseem stated.
Waseem is a well-known sports figure in the country and the best flyweight boxer in the WBA. There have been 12 wins, one draw, and eight knockouts for Waseem.