KARACHI: As promised, CEO ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal and renowned boxer Amir Khan are bringing a first of its kind professional boxing league to Pakistan, ARY News reported.
Two-time world champion Amir Khan on Thursday launched the league titled “Super Boxing League” in a star-studded event in Karachi’s Marriott Hotel.
CEO ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal and Amir Khan will jointly serve as boxing league’s chairman. The tournament will see eight teams owned by cricketing and showbiz celebrities locking horns for the title.
The teams are named after major cities of the country including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Quetta. Each team will comprise of 10 males and two females in squad to hold the fort for their respective franchises.
Out of the eight teams, former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi owns Pakhtoon Warriors, legendary pacer Wasim Akram bought Multan Nawabs, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan owns Faisalabad Falcons, while CEO ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal and actor Fahad Mustafa jointly own Karachi Cobras.
Amir Khan was of the view that he aims to provide the right training to potential boxers which will help in producing more professional world champions.
“I believe Pakistan can produce many Muhammad Alis,” Amir Khan had said in a statement issued with announcement of the league.
CEO ARY Digital Network and SBL Pakistan Co-Chairman Salman Iqbal also expressed hope that the league will introduce Pakistan’s talented young boxers to the world.
“I am very excited to be the co-chairman of Super Boxing League Pakistan along with Amir Khan and Bill Dosanjh. SBL will be a force to reckon with in the boxing fraternity. SBL will get recognition for Pakistani boxing talent at a global level. It’s a milestone for every upcoming boxing talent in Pakistan. We are proud to nurture these pugilists and I am sure they will make their soil proud by representing themselves globally as the icons of SBL Pakistan very soon,” Salman Iqbal had said in his message.
About the tournament
Super Boxing League (SBL) Pakistan will be organized in association with Punjab Sports Board (PSB) & World Boxing Council (WBC) from September 28, 2018 to November 03, 2018 at the Amir Khan Boxing Academy Islamabad.
For a transparent and successful inaugural edition SBL Pakistan, WBC will be supervising the entire tournament, the best of Pakistani and international talent and present world class, captivating fights.
The event will spread over six weeks of adrenaline and pure thrill with league fights.
Each of the six matches will feature five male fights and one female fight ensuring diversity and magnetism of the event is comprehensive.
The league, in its first season, will have a mix of experience and youth with bringing in talent across the Featherweight – 57 kg, Welterweight – 66.7kg, Middleweight – 72.57 kg, Super Middleweight- 76.2 kg, Heavy weight – unlimited and Female super fly – 52.16 kg categories.
For Pakistan, the Live telecast rights will go to the highest bidding broadcaster. While globally, SBL has signed agreements with Fox Network for Asian markets, Tencent – QQ Penguin for China and with Sky Sports for New Zealand providing broadcasting outreach over 900 million homes in more than 50 countries.
