Boxing: Shahruf Ali wins national title

Shahruf Ali, Hamer Amateur Boxing Club

Shahruf Ali, 14, of Hamer Amateur Boxing Club, became the Junior 44kg Open Class National Boxing Champion when he beat 16-year-old Cameron Paul, of The Ring Amateur Boxing Club, in the final at the Greenbank Sports Academy in Liverpool on Sunday.

At the sound of the first bell, Ali stormed out of his corner to meet the former schoolboy champion from London in the centre of the ring and immediately set about him with powerful hooks to the body and head.

Cameron Paul, who is also an England boxing representative who had gone on to win the tri-nation gold and European gold, struggled with the Hamer boxer's frantic pace at the start and began to use the ring while trying to keep his distance and find his range.

Ali continued to pursue his experienced opponent behind a tight guard landing hooks while the southpaw, Paul, tried to land fast one-two punch combinations as the Hamer youth moved towards him.

It was a close first round but Ali's work rate gave him the edge.

In the second-round, Paul continued to circle the ring while looking to keep his distance with his long reach. Ali kept to the centre of the ring and continued to pursue Paul onto the ropes but by this time the older London boxer had found his range and he waited for the Hamer youngster to come forward, before landing a crisp right hook to the head, before spinning off, back out of range.

Paul continued to land his right hook before moving off the ropes with swift footwork, but towards the end of the round Ali began to move in close and land some more big hooks.

Paul did enough to take the round so it was all to box for in the third and final round.

Ali was told by the head coach Steven Connellan to feint his attack and allow Paul to throw his hook before stepping back inside with straight punches of his own, then attack the body and head with hooks.

The bell rang and Ali immediately forced Paul into the neutral corner and began to land hooks to both the body and head after he had made Paul miss with his counter-punch.

Paul spun out of the way and used the ring to find some respite but Ali followed him into the corner and began to land more hurtful punches which floored Paul. The referee deemed it a slip and allowed both boxers to continue.

Paul continued to try and keep a distance from Ali but he was beginning to tire and Ali took advantage and landed big hooks to the head and body.

It was a tense while waiting for the verdict to be announced but when Ali's hand was raised via a split-decision, the emotion of joy overwhelmed him.

Head coach Steven Connellan said: "It's been a long time coming for this small but famous Rochdale club.

“The last time Hamer won a national title was when the Connellan brothers won nine titles between them in the early eighties.

“We had come close on many occasions over the last couple of years with different home grown youngsters reaching the national finals and semi-finals but they didn't manage to gain the nod from the judges.

“It's a fantastic achievement by this talented youngster. Who knows what he might achieve in the future.”