Exposed in the Ring: Usman Wazeer’s Fake Titles and the Broken System of Pakistani Boxing

Exposed in the Ring: Usman Wazeer’s Fake Titles and the Broken System of Pakistani Boxing

By Sports Friend, Shahid Ulhaq

A recent investigative report by Natasha Raheel in The Express Tribune has laid bare the truth of Pakistan’s so-called professional boxing champion, Usman Wazeer.

As a sports philanthropist and journalist, I have repeatedly raised this issue through my YouTube channel SPOFIT, my newspaper columns, and several articles. Sadly, the relevant authorities and policymakers have failed to take notice, allowing fake professional fights to flourish unchecked.

Professional boxing in Pakistan is once again under controversy — this time surrounding the so-called titles of 25-year-old boxer Usman Wazeer from Gilgit-Baltistan. Despite holding an undefeated 17-0 record and receiving the Presidential Award (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz) in 2024, his achievements face serious questions.

Wazeer proudly displays belts he has won in Dubai, Pakistan, the Philippines, and especially Bangkok, Thailand — a hub long notorious for fixed fights. Recently, he claimed the WBC-OPBF Super Welterweight Silver title after defeating 44-year-old Indonesian boxer, judge, and promoter Stevie Ongen Ferdinandus.

The problem? Neither the World Boxing Council (WBC) nor the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) has listed this fight or title on their official websites. BoxRec, the world’s most credible boxing database, confirms this belt has barely existed — appearing only twice, in 2017 and 2018. According to OPBF rankings, Wazeer stood only fourth in his division — far from being a title contender.

His opponents also reveal the reality: most are journeymen rated between half a star to two stars on BoxRec. These “title fights” were staged against weak rivals posing no threat. Contrast this with real champions like Muhammad Waseem, who built his pro career after victories at the Commonwealth,

Asian, and World Combat Games. Similarly, Pakistan’s greatest boxing legend, Hussain Shah, turned professional after winning an Olympic bronze medal, securing eight consecutive victories before a dangerous head injury ended his professional career.

According to the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF), Wazeer appeared in only one domestic amateur event in 2015 — where he lost to a Sindh boxer named Balach. He never won a national championship, never represented Pakistan in amateur boxing, and never passed through the legitimate system that grooms real boxers.

This raises the obvious question: how does someone with no national record, no amateur credentials, and no recognition from world bodies become Pakistan’s so-called “Pride of Boxing”?

The bitter truth is that our government, departments, and sections of the media are guilty of glorifying fake champions while neglecting genuine talent. Wazeer received millions of rupees from the government in 2022,

was showered with rewards in Gilgit-Baltistan, decorated with the Presidential Award in 2024, and honored by Sindh’s Chief Minister in 2025. Meanwhile, real Pakistani boxers remain unfunded, ignored, and pushed into obscurity.

Here, it is worth recalling that Islamabad’s only boxing hall — originally named after Hussain Shah — was instead named after British-born Amir Khan, who initially promoted Usman Wazeer. Hussain Shah himself once said to me in a phone call: “I may be an illiterate man,

but I can check the boxing rankings online and see that these fights are fake, and Wazeer’s name doesn’t even appear in the top 100. Why can’t the so-called experts in big offices see this? This is all collusion. Amateur officials have entered professional boxing, though the two are entirely different.”

Akram Khan, Secretary of Ignored the genuine group of PBF, added: “First of all, the federation claiming professional authority must explain how they gave affiliation to a so-called Pro Green Boxing Federation while their own claim is amateur boxing.

This shows the weakness of the system and government negligence toward boxing. When athletes are denied fair opportunities, they will look for shortcuts. Let’s not forget — those we call ‘fake’ at least raise Pakistan’s flag, but what about the infiltrators and their handlers who captured federations without any transparency?”

On the international stage, experts like UK-based coach Danny Vaughan and world-ranked Muhammad Waseem have openly declared these titles as fake. They confirm that organizers in Thailand — and earlier in Dubai — accept money to arrange easy fights against weak opponents. Such victories hold no value in the global boxing community.

Real champions are made through blood, sweat, and sacrifice. Manufactured champions buy shortcuts, cheat the system, mislead sponsors, and ultimately damage the credibility of the sport.

This issue is not limited to Usman Wazeer — it is a symptom of the wider decline of sports in Pakistan: lack of infrastructure, absence of accountability, nepotism in federations, and no control over who represents the country. That is why we not only see fake male champions but also cases like Aliya Soomro, who returned from Thailand claiming to be Pakistan’s first female international boxing titleholder. Meanwhile, genuine athletes like Asian bronze medalist Zohaib Rasheed vanish abroad in desperation.

If boxing in Pakistan is to survive, it cannot rely on individuals, interest-driven federations, or fake promotions. The only solution lies in uniting real enthusiasts and experts — whether from boxing, MMA, wrestling, karate, or taekwondo — under one independent professional council.

This council must:

Recognize only belts sanctioned by the four main world bodies — WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO.

Enforce international rules and standards for professional fights.

Create pathways for amateur champions to transition into professional boxing.

Educate fans and sponsors about fake titles.

Demand transparent criteria for government awards and funding.

Only through unity and collective effort can we safeguard the credibility of boxing and protect the next generation from shortcuts and false glory.

Written by: Sports Friend, Shahid Ulhaq ;
Sports Philanthropist | Former National Basketball Player | Fitness Coach (National Teams) | CEO & Host, SPOFIT YouTube Channel | Development Director, Pakistan Powerlifting Federation