Asian boxer looks for Scottish support

Oct 26 2008 By Gavin Berry

AMIR KHAN'S spectacular rise to stardom has been helped by the backing of a huge multicultural fan base.

Now Scottish scrapper Raz Parnez is looking to follow the Bolton battler's lead.

Glasgow-born of Pakistani parents, Parnez is the only Asian heavyweight in Britain and is set to make his professional debut on Saturday after recently being granted his licence.

The 26-year-old from Muirend was a promising amateur as a kid but after a dislocated knee kept him out of the ring for a long spell he gave up the sport.

But Raz is back fitter and more determined and hopes to go places under the guidance of coach and manager Lawrence Murphy.

Murphy knows a few things about being at the top - he was WBU world middleweight champ five years ago. Parnez will see just how far he has progressed since taking up boxing again at the start of the year with a win and a loss in his two amateur fights since ending his five-year exile.

And he hopes the Asian and other communities in Glasgow will come out in support of him just as the different cultures have united to cheer on Olympic hero Khan (below left)..

Raz said: "As the only British boxer at the Athens Olympics, Khan had the full support of the nation as he won a silver medal.

"Since then he has had all the Asian community behind him but he gets the full backing of all the other communities, he has a huge fan base.

"I would love to do the same with the people of Glasgow. I have a big following within the Asian community but I don't want to limit it to that.

"I was born and bred in Glasgow and I'm as Scottish as anyone. But I'm also proud ofmy Asian roots and there aren't any other pro Asian heavyweights in the UK."

Parnez's opponent for the Morrison Promotions show at Glasgow's Thistle Hotel on Saturday night - in which Edinburgh south paw Gary McMillan (left) tops the bill - has yet to be named but he's relishing the prospect. Raz said: "I dislocated a knee when I was 21 and lost my way in the eight months it took to recover.

"I started living a bit of the high life. My dad Zaid has a takeaway family restaurant business so I worked for him, made good money and started enjoying myself far too much.

"I can safely say in those five years I did everything I could. I've seen it all but one day I sat down and said to myself 'Right, it's time to return'.

"I didn't want to look back in years to come and regret it and say 'What if I hadn't given it another go?' so that's why I'm going to give it everything I've got.

"There's a lot of pressure ahead of Saturday not just because it's my pro debut but also because I was out of the ring for five years.

"Every fighter is nervous, even the greatest, but I'm focused and just want to get my head down and go for it and when that first bell goes I'll get on with it."

At his gym in Viewpark, Lanarkshire, trainer Murphy said: "Raz's dedication level dropped after his injury but the difference between Raz now and before is that he's prepared.

"Not only is he a big guy who's capable of boxing but he is now living the lifestyle of a boxer."

CONTACT Raz directly on 07957582675 or Morrison Promotions on 0141 554 7777 for ticket details on Saturday's show.