Pakistani ‘Karate Kid’ Shahzaib Rind enters the global ring 

QUETTA: Shahzaib Rind, the number one ranked Wushu fighter in Pakistan, was preparing for an international karate fight last month when his opponent opted out due to an injury. 

Instead, he was invited to fight Brazilian Bruno Roberto de Assis, an experienced Karate Combat fighter, on short notice in Singapore. Taking a risk and accepting the bout, the 26-year-old from Pakistan’s impoverished Balochistan province etched his name in history as he defeated de Assis to become the first Pakistani to win the Karate Combat World Lightweight Championship on Sept. 18.

“My last opponent [de Assis], he was from Brazil ... very well-experienced, he was fighting in Karate Combat for the last ten years,” Rind told Arab News in an interview last week, following his return to Pakistan from the championship in Singapore. 

“It was a big fight for me, I took the opportunity, I took the risk, I went there and won the fight.”

Rind boasts a combined Wushu and Kickboxing record of 75-4, the majority of which was attained while training himself from YouTube videos. Currently, he has taken his fighting form to the next level by training under Asim Zaidi at the renowned Goat Shed gym in Miami, Florida. Zaidi is the president of Karate Combat, a brand that promotes the first professional full-contact karate league, hosting worldwide events since April 2018.

During the two and half years of an undefeated Karate Combat career, Rind has fought fighters from North America, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, France and India.

“When I came [back] here to Balochistan [after beating De Assis], I saw a lot of people there [to greet me]. Chief Minister Balochistan and provincial ministers were there,” Rind said. “A lot of people were there, I was so happy and it gave me a lot of strength.”

Rind began learning martial arts at the age of 8 at the small, under-resourced ‘Young Tiger Wushu Academy’ in his hometown of Quetta and won his first martial art title in 2011 after winning a provincial-level competition. His first national title came in 2019 when he won the National Games held in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“I fought my first international fight in the West Asia Championship held in Iran in 2014 where I fought and won against a world champion,” Rind said. “I have represented Pakistan on so many international platforms.

“Now I am fighting in the International Karate Combat where my professional record is 7-0,” he added. 

“GOVERNMENT SUPPORT” 

Nasir Khan Sasoli, a 44-year-old martial arts coach in Quetta who was Rind’s first instructor, described the athlete as one of his most “dedicated and disciplined” disciples.

“I can’t describe my feelings after watching his last fight [against de Assis],” Sasoli told Arab News. “I give his example to my young students in the academy.”

Sasoli called on the government in Balochistan to support young and talented athletes like Rind, saying many of his students who had the potential to represent Pakistan internationally quit sports due to lack of resources.

“The government should support Shahzaib now because he has brought an international title and name for Pakistan,” the coach said. 

Rind’s his next fight will be held in Dec. 2024 in Dubai where he will appear in the KC51, an event organized by the world Karate Combat, and face Luiz Victor Rocha, a Brazilian national team member and lifelong karate practitioner.

“I want to fight the top players in the world. It doesn’t matter if it is the UFC World Champion or if it is any league, any martial arts league,” Rind said. 

“I will fight anyone, anytime, any place.”