If you’ve never heard of him, Mohammed Feroze Abedeen is the Brampton native capturing the attention of many in the fighting scene. The Guyanese-Canadian has had a great year, remaining undefeated and is currently gearing to fight for the Canadian Lightweight Title.
Abedeen has been fighting for over 10 years. He credits his love and interest in boxing to a couple of things: “I was forced to learn about [Muhammad Ali] and as a result, fell in love with his story and the sport of boxing. That summer I won a little contest at the CNE where you punch the dummy as fast as you can. It was a cute kid’s game but the coach there directed me to a gym in Brampton and that was it,” says Abedeen.
Through high school he began training as an amateur fighter, and has been fighting professionally for the last 2 years.
Much like Ali, Abedeen tries to be great inside and outside of the ring, through diligence, strong work ethic and focus. He attributes his success and the lessons learned along the way to hard work and remaining confident in the face of adversity.
These lessons came during his transition from amateur to professional, and they are some of his most memorable moments. “My pro debut I came in as the underdog and outclassed the hometown fighter… It was my fifth fight and I fractured my ankle 3 days away from fight day. I was on crutches until fight night. And for the fight I taped it up super tight and fought through the pain.”
Abedeen notes that his discipline stems from his Islamic background. He prides himself on being able to give back to his community when and where he can. This includes the opportunity to work with two-time World Champion Amir Khan for a charity event. The proceeds of this event went to Islamic Relief Canada and the people of Aleppo.
Abedeen says, “I feel these days there may be some who question the people of my faith so I know it’s important as a Muslim that I’m the first to step up and be a good person for my family and for my community.”
This past November, Abedeen earned his right to fight for the prestigious Canadian Title following his win over Mexican Pacific Champion Jesús Miguel Velazco in front of 6,000 fans.
Abedeen is excited about his next fight. He says, “It’s the biggest fight of my entire life…[it’s] the same title that greats like George Chuvalo fought for.”
The boxer reflects on the important stuff outside of the fight: “I am proud to be me. A Canadian Guyanese Muslim. I must be the best man I can be for everyone that supports me.”
Be sure to follow Abedeen on Instagram and Twitter for a promo code on discounted tickets for the fight, as well as ongoing news. The fight for the Canadian Lightweight Title takes place on December 16 at the Hershey Centre against Buzz Grant.
