JOHOR BAHRU — Retired Malaysian professional boxer Muhamad Farkhan Mohd Haron is disappointed with allegations from certain quarters that his final career bout against Indian boxer Jaskaran Singh was a fixed match.
The fight, which took place at the 2025 Johor International Boxing Championship (JIBC) on February 16, saw Muhamad Farkhan secure victory via a fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) to retain his WBC Asia Bridgeweight title. He retired with an undefeated record of 13-0.
However, Farkhan said accusations subsequently surfaced on social media claiming that the match was fixed, along with criticism about his physical appearance, which made him feel unappreciated after dedicating 21 years to representing Malaysia.
“What hurts and saddens me is seeing netizens making negative comments, with some even body-shaming me, saying I’m fat or out of shape.
“I don’t mind that; to me, it’s normal because as an athlete, I’ve faced far greater challenges in life. But what truly disappoints me is people claiming this was a fixed fight,” he told reporters.
The IBF Intercontinental champion said his victory was due to skill, intelligence and speed gained through years of experience, despite having to contend with injuries.
“This is a WBC Asia event, and Johor was only the host. The tournament had supervisors, referees and judges from overseas.
“You can check the WBC Asia website. In the Bridgeweight category, I am the champion and ranked fourth in Asia, while Jaskaran is ranked fifth. So, we didn’t pick or choose any opponents—every fighter I faced was among Asia’s top 10,” he said.
The boxer, who made history by winning a gold medal each at the Laos 2009 and Jakarta-Palembang 2011 SEA Games, emphasised that his success did not come easily and required significant sacrifices, with unwavering support from his coaches, family, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and the state government.
However, Farkhan said he does not intend to take legal action against those making the accusations. — March 1, 2025