KARACHI: Pakistan’s only World Boxing Council (WBC) title winner MuhammadWaseem will take on South Africa’s Moruti MThalane in the InternationalBoxing Federation (IBF) flyweight world title bout on July 15 in Malaysia.

This is also the first time any Pakistani will be going for the IBF worldtitle. According to Waseem, the fight is as big as it gets since this willbe his first chance at the World title that was left vacant by a Filipinoboxer Donnie Nietes, who has been the longest reigning world champion inflyweight category after the latter climbed to the super flyweight category.

He will take on a much more experienced Mthalane who has a record of 37bouts with only two defeats in his career. However Waseem has age on hisside with an impeccable professional career with eight bouts, no defeatsand six knock-outs to his name.

Earlier Waseem was looking to fight WBC world title holder Japan’s DaigoHiga, however, due to the lack of resources and limited finances Waseem hadto let go and in return he was stripped off of his WBC silverweightchampion title and lost his top ranking at the WBC too.

“It has been a roller-coaster ride,” Waseem told The Express Tribune. “Ihad troubles even after getting Pakistan the first WBC title, but I didn’tgive up. And now this is my big chance, if it’s not the WBC title, then itwill be the IBF title.”

Waseem added that he will be featured on the undercard in Kuala Lumpur,with Manny Pacquiao featuring in the main card bout. “It is huge for me tobe even in the same arena as Pacquiao,” said Waseem. “The crowd will begreat and I know this is a do-or-die fight for me.”

Waseem believes the opportunity came at a crucial time where he had almostthought of retiring from boxing, however, now the chances of him winningare greater on a neutral venue, while if he had fought Higa, he would havehad to go to Japan as his promoter did not have enough money to host afight elsewhere.