Welcoming Bradford-born Tasif Khan back to Bradford after he was crowned World Boxing Council Silver Title Champion, Bradford East MP, Imran Hussain praised Tasif’s grit, hard work, and determination as part of the Bradfordian-spirit behind his immense success.

Tasif’s much-anticipated return to Bradford following his win over 29-year-old Venezuelan boxer, David Barreto last week to claim the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Super-Flyweight Belt culminated in a further visit to Imran’s Bradford East Constituency Office to proudly display his latest title belt and discuss the impact that the win for a Bradford-born boxer will have on Imran’s ongoing campaign for greater investment in community-led grassroots boxing projects.

Imran also praised Tasif’s extraordinary skill and determination, and his commitment to hard work by beating Barreto in what was expected to be a difficult challenge for the 40-year-old Bradford boxer. With an age gap of a decade between Tasif and the 29-year-old Venezuelan who has achieved a devastating record of 16 knockouts in 17 wins, the King of the Ring 3 fight nevertheless ended in a blindingly quick manner after just two of its twelve rounds, with Tasif forcing the referee to wave off the fight after repeatedly knocking down Barreto.

Raised in Bradford and proud of his local roots in the District, Tasif already holds the GBU World and WBO Africa Super-Flyweight titles after almost two decades in the profession, and in May 2023, he opened the Tasif Khan Community Boxing Academy on Sunbridge Road with Imran, who as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Boxing continues to endorse the societal benefits of grassroots boxing gyms like Tasif’s

Speaking on Tasif Khan’s victory to become WBC Silver Title Champion and his community work across Bradford, Imran said:

“Coming from humble beginnings as a local Bradford-lad who remains immensely proud of his background, Tasif’s win last week to claim the WBC Silver Title was nothing short of extraordinary. Across Bradford, we are all incredibly proud of him as a brilliant Bradford success story, of what he has achieved and what he can still achieve, and he rightly deserves to be celebrated.

“Not only has Tasif repeatedly proven himself as a champion in the ring with his win last weekend as a case in point, but he’s also shown himself to be a champion in the community too, with his local boxing academy which I was proud to open with him providing those from troubled and disadvantaged backgrounds with stability, discipline and self-worth that will stay with them forever.

“As someone who’s never shied away from failure or a challenge, never ignored his roots, and never failed to meet each competition with grit, determination and hard work, Tasif embodies the Bradfordian-spirit of local pride and tenacity that has helped him achieve so much, and with this attitude, he stands as one of the very best local role models that many people can look up to. He deserves every bit of his phenomenal success, and I look forward to his future.”

Speaking on his victory to claim the WBC Silver Title and his meeting with Imran, Tasif Khan said:

“This win was a dream come true, and after growing up watching the great legends fight for the prestigious Green WBC belt, it’s an absolute honour and something I was absolutely never going to turn down.

“David Barreto was a formidable opponent with an impressive record, and there was a lot at stake in this fight, but I’m just over the moon at the win. We came, we saw, we conquered, and now I’m delighted that I’m bringing that WBC belt back to Bradford.

“Meeting again with Imran Hussain after this fight is also such a pleasure, and I know that he has fully supported me and what I’m trying to achieve not just for myself, but also for Bradford with my work to reach out to people from all backgrounds in Bradford, and I know that he’s with me every step of the way in this.”