By AM Khan
LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) November 21, 2012: After successfully organizing the Punjab Youth Festival 2012, the Sports Board Punjab (SBP) is now flexing its muscles to hold yet another international event in the province as it is joining hands with Japan to stage the International Sports and Peace Wrestling Festival.
The Sports Board Punjab has recently been busy organizing international events in Lahore and successfully staged the Punjab Youth Festival, the Punjab National Youth Festival and the Punjab International Sports Festival.
The International Sports and Peace Wrestling Festival will be part of the 60 years celebrations of sporting relations between Pakistan and Japan.
Augmenting the attraction of the festival, the world famous Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki and 10 other professional wrestlers from the land of Osaka will join various other international wrestlers in a free style wrestling competition in visit Pakistan towards the end of November, 2012.
Talking exclusively with TheSportsNEXT.com on Wednesday, the organizers of the event said, “Pro-wrestling is a competitive sports that consists of fighters with stand-up skills, throws, and various mixed martial arts background but is there also to show to the spectators the fight”.
He added, “This entertainment sport is performed all over the world but is considered very popular and has a great history especially in United States, Japan, and Mexico”.
He mentioned, “The founder of Japanese pro-wrestling is Rikidozan and his students are Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba who have carried on the torch of the popularity of the Japanese pro-wrestling industry”.
Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif is taking keen interest in the international sports activities in the province and he is helping the Sports Board Punjab which in collaboration with Japanese pro-wrestler Antonio Inoki is celebrating the 60 years long history of sports relations between Pakistan and Japan.
Antonio Inoki last visited Pakistan in 1976 when he battled Pakistan’s renowned wrester Akram Pehalwan, known otherwise as Aki Pehalwan in an honorary fight staged in Karachi’s National Stadium.
This time around Antonio Inoki will be fighting in Punjab province where he will mark the 60 years sports history between Islamabad and Tokyo with a message of peace and sports for the whole world.
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| Well-known Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki |
Antonio Inoki in an exclusive message on Wednesday said, “We hope that this event will help build a stronger relationship and friendship between the two nations”.
Talking with this scribe, Usman Anwar, Director General at the Sports Board Punjab, said that the International Sports and Peace Wrestling Festival 2012 will have events like pro-wrestling, kickboxing, and a friendly demonstration. He added, “Around 10 fighters will vie for top honors in about two and half hours activity which is likely to be broadcast live in both Pakistan and Japan”.
Antonio Inoki recorded global fame when he encountered the world’s greatest boxer Muhammad Ali, following which famous legendary Pakistani wrestler Akram Pehalwan, who had the history of his family being mix martial arts fighter, the Bholu Brothers and was a descendant of Great Gama, challenged the boxer for a match in Pakistan.
The bout against Muhammad Ali was also televised in Pakistan and drew TV ratings viewership of more than 80 percent and the Sports Board Punjab is also hoping for a massive global viewership for the International Sports and Peace Wrestling Festival 2012.
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