There’s never a dull day in Pakistan’s sporting landscape, and the latest evidence comes from an unexpected feud between the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) and one of the country’s most renowned boxers, Usman Wazeer.
Wazeer recently won the WBC OPBF Silver welterweight title after defeating seasoned Indonesian fighter Stevie Ongen Ferdinandus, becoming the first Pakistani boxer to claim a WBC Silver welterweight belt. But the PBF has dismissed his achievement, with officials allegedly claiming that Usman Wazeer has built his career on “fabricated achievements and purchased titles.”
In a reportedly hard‑hitting statement, the PBF and the Pakistan Pro‑Green Boxing Federation (PGBF) alleged that Wazeer’s perfect record and recently acquired international title were the product of financial deals rather than genuine victories. The Gilgit‑born fighter, currently ranked 86th in the world, was accused of arranging bouts against substandard opponents and securing outcomes through payments to fighters, referees, and judges.
Officials went so far as to estimate that more than PKR 45 million had been spent to sustain Wazeer’s image as an unbeaten champion. They alleged that rival boxers were paid between $1,500 and $5,000 to lose deliberately, while referees and judges were also influenced. According to the Pro‑Green Boxing Federation, his latest title carried a market value of barely $3,000.
“Usman Wazeer is not a genuine world‑class athlete but a manufactured product of weak opponents and fake titles,” the PGBF allegedly said in its statement, adding that his elevation as a national hero risks misleading Pakistan’s youth.
Usman, who currently boasts a professional record of 17 wins from 17 fights, has yet to comment on the claims.
Pakistan boxing has been a disjointed structure throughout its history, and this latest episode is likely to deepen the divide. For many observers, the controversy is not just about one fighter’s record, but about the credibility of an entire system.
