After Dubai title, Pakistan's rising boxing star Asif Hazara sets sights on Olympic Prize

Syed Asif Ali Shah Hazara was still in junior high school, sparring occasionally with friends, when one of his teachers encouraged him to pursue boxing. The motivation was life changing.

Acting upon his teacher's advice, the young athlete from Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province took part in an inter-school boxing championship in Quetta, the provincial capital, and won it.

Inspired by the success, he kept on training and in 2014 clinched the silver medal in a tournament held in Taiwan. In 2015, he won gold in Iran.

"In 2020, I moved into professional (boxing). By the grace of God, I fought four professional fights and I am unbeaten," Hazara told Arab News during training at the Qayoum Papa Stadium in Quetta.

"I am a seven times national champion. I have also served as captain of the Pakistan boxing team. I have many international medals of the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and South Asian Games."

"I want to become Pakistan’s first global boxing champion, he said. "My mission is to fight in the Olympics and my target is to represent my province, my country, and my caste and earn glory for Pakistan. The day is not far."