Manzoor Hussain, widely known as Bholu Pahalwan, was the first champion of newly born Pakistan and the eldest son of ‘Rustam-e-Hind’ Imam Bakhsh Pahalwan. Bholu’s impact on the sport of wrestling is immense, making him one of the best Pakistani wrestlers of his time.

Before independence, Bholu made his mark by defeating notable wrestler Mangal Singh. His career saw him triumph over several western wrestlers, including Karl Pojello (LTU), Emil Koroshenko (HUN), and Baron von Heczey (HUN).

In 1949, Bholu clinched the prestigious ‘Rustam-e-Pakistan’ title by defeating Younus Gujranwalia of Punjab, the number one Pakistani wrestler at the time. He was awarded the ‘Championship Mace’ by Khwaja Nazimuddin, the Governor General of Pakistan.

In 1962, Bholu received the ‘Pride of Performance Award’ from President Muhammad Ayub Khan. The same year, the All Pakistan Wrestling Association declared him ‘Rustam-e-Zaman’ (world champion). In 1967, Bholu claimed the world title in London by defeating Anglo-French champion Henri Pierlot (Les Thornton). He was again declared ‘Rustam-e-Zaman’ by the All Pakistan Wrestling Association in September 1967.

Leading his wrestling faction and never losing a fight, Bholu remains a legendary figure in Pakistani wrestling history.