Boxing enthusiasts and sports junkies in Pakistan are about to experience for the first time ever, a boxing league like none other. Super Boxing League (SBL) comes to Pakistan as Amir ‘King’ Khan takes the responsibility to revive this sport in his homeland.
One-of-a-kind, first ever professional boxing 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, Islamabad, Pakistan. 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 series will comprise of 8 franchise teams from major cities of the country including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Quetta. The event is led under the vision of two-time world champion Amir Khan and promoted by the British business tycoon Bill Dosanjh.
This event will also see for the first time in the country, individual celebrities as team owners including Sultan of Swing – Wasim Akram, Lala – Shahid Afridi, Media Mogul – Salman Iqbal and the Maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
The event will spread over 6 weeks of adrenaline and pure thrill with league fights of 6 matches in a day (Friday, Saturday& Sunday). Each of the 6 matches will feature 5 male fights and 1 female fight ensuring diversity and magnetism of the event is comprehensive.
On Thursday, June 21, 2018, management committee, team owners, sponsors and advocates will come together for a Press Conference at the Karachi Marriott Hotel (Crystal Ballroom). Amir Khan and other prominent names like Salman Iqbal, Shahid Afridi, Saif Malik, Ali Sheikh, Nadeem Omer, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and many more from all walks of life and achievement will be present to inaugurate this historic sporting event. The conference will start at 03:00 PM followed by a Q & A with team owners and stars.
After much success across the border, Bill Dosanjh, CEO & Founder, Super Boxing League said, ““We continue to witness an appetite for combat sports globally. Boxing leads the way as the biggest and most globally commercialized full-contact sport. It attracts a significant proportion of the youth population, proving there is a genuine market for further consumption of the sport. We are unique in the combat sports fraternity, as we have created the world’s first team based league tournament. Super Boxing League’s (SBL) vision is to create a Global Boxing League with a local eco system. SBL is encouraging boxing talent to “make it big in the ring” as said by Bill Dosanjh – Founder & CEO of the Super Boxing League.
Following the success of our debut season in 2017 in India, I’m extremely excited to launch SBL in Pakistan with my partner Amir Khan, who is the Founder of Super Boxing League Pakistan & the face of SBL globally. Pakistan has a huge talent pool for boxing. A lot of aspiring athletes wish to turn professional and they all just need the right platform. The SBL gives fighters that opportunity and we will ensure these professional athletes get the recognition they deserve.”
The love of his country and passion for this sport made it possible for Amir Khan – Founder – Super Boxing League Pakistan to turn SBL Pakistan into a reality, speaking on the project, he said, “I am very excited to introduce Super Boxing League as a unique platform in Pakistan. It’s a dream come true. SBL is not just an event in the country but a major milestone for boxing in Pakistan. With SBL Pakistan, we aim to provide the right training to potential boxers which will help in producing more professional world champions. We want to create an exciting platform where talent can fight in front of their home fans in their own country. With such a talent filled nation, I believe Pakistan can produce many Muhammad Alis.”
Commenting on the association, Mauricio Sulaimán Saldívar, President, World Boxing Council said, “It was always our intention to empower the league with our expertise and set some key benchmarks in organizing an event of this stature. We are excited to nurture these pugilists and are confident that Super Boxing League Pakistan will be able to build a stronger future for the sport in the country and globally.”
“We are honored to be part of Super Boxing League Pakistan. It is imperative that professional boxing is taken up seriously and a tournament like this will just be the shot in the arm it needed. We will together work towards embracing all aspects of development of the sport and elevate the level of professional boxing in Punjab.” says Muhammad Aamir Jan, Secretary YASAT / DG Sports Punjab
Salman Iqbal – Co Chairman – Super Boxing League Pakistan & CEO – ARY Digital Network said “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 nuture these pugilists and I am sure they will make their soil proud by representing themselves globally as the icons of SBL Pakistan very soon.”
“I am excited and thrilled to own “Pakhtoon Warriors” this expansion of sports on the grass root level will help Pakistan at many levels, let the fight for peace begin” Shahid Afridi (Owner Pakhtoon Warriors)
SBL Pakistan in its first season has a mix of experience and youth with bringing in talent across the following categories: 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. Each team will comprise of 10 male and 2 female in squad to hold the fort for their respective franchises.
Arsalan Hyder Shah – COO Super Boxing League Pakistan added ‘’It’s about time we pack a power punch and knockout the hurdles & setup the ecosystem of a healthier sports lifestyle, Pakistan is blessed with immense talent in the sports industry, we are just taking a leap in the right direction at the right time, are ready to rub shoulders with the big boys’’
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 to over 900 million homes in about 50 + countries.
SBL Management truly believes that with the marketing muscle and distribution of these leading sports content providers will only help them expand the event output beyond into the rest of the world this season and for the future.