Ali Haider

[ironfist]

Golden Ali continues East End tradition

Martyn Herman

HE has been described as the best boxer ever to come out of Asia and now he’s training right here in Tower Hamlets.

Pakistan’s Haider Ali won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester last year – receiving rave reviews from the boxing media.

The featherweight made such an impact on promoter Frank Warren that he decided that he just had to sign him up.

According to Warren, a man who has seen a few boxers in his time, Ali can become an Asian superstar and inspire young fighters in the Asian community.

Haider was on the verge of flying home to Quetta in Pakistan last year when Warren contacted him and offered to make him a star in this country.

Since then Ali has been based at the TKO Gym in Shadwell where he is under the guidance of top trainer John Eames.

Local kickboxing promoter Ali Jacko has also joined the team, helping to promote and train the fighter who many say can be the next Naseem Hamed.

As well as gold in the the Commonwealth Games, Ali also won the Asian championships last year and has 150 amateur bouts behind him.

He made his professional debut on May 24 at York Hall, and while not at his best, did enough to outpoint Buster Dennis.

Warren, who hopes Ali can tap into the Asian population in Tower Hamlets, said: “There is a large Asian population in this country and he can be a huge draw.
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At the moment kickboxing is bigger in Asia but they love contact sports and I’m sure they will get behind Haider.

“A Pan-Asian hero could attract the support of hundreds of millions.” If this vision is to come true, Haider has certainly come to the right area – with east London producing some of boxing’s great names.

Trainer Eames is also working with British and WBA super featherweight Kevin Lear while in the past he has been associated with James Buster Douglas and Colin Macmillan.

Jacko, who runs JKO Productions which promotes kickboxing on Skysports and Channel 5, is also delighted to be working with Ali.

“Trust me, he will be the greatest fighter in the world,” he said before his debut fight at the York Hall.