Muhammad Waseem was training for the toughest fight of his career, but that contest is now being pushed back due to a visa issue.
Waseem was scheduled to collide with former four-division world champion Donnie Nietes of the Philippines, on Saturday in Dubai. The vacant IBO bantamweight title was going to be at stake.
According to reports in Pakistan, Waseem was denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to an error made by his team in the application process.
Waseem is currently in Scotland and was due to reach Dubai on Friday. However, the non-issuance of the visa barred Waseem from making it to Dubai in time.
The fight with Nietes is now postponed until further notice.
Waseem has been out of the ring since March of last year, when he lost a decision to IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards. That bout also took place in Dubai.
Nietes has been out of the ring since July of last year, when he dropped a twelve round decision in his rematch with then WBO super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka.
There is no official word on when or where Waseem (12-2, 8 KOs) vs. Nietes (43-2-6, 23 KOs) will take place.
The event on Saturday is being staged by newly-formed Dubai-based Disrupt Promotions, which have acquired assets from Probellum, Waseem’s former promoter.
On the same event, Liverpool’s Jazza Dickens (32-4,12 KOs) will defend his IBO featherweight world title when he will face Argentinian challenger Hector Andres Sosa (15-2, 8 KO).