Syed Shahruf Ali in national Class A 35.5kg semi-finals

Shahruf Ali with Hamer coach Alan Bacon (left) and Steven Connellan (right)

Syed Shahruf Ali, 12, of Hamer Amateur Boxing Club, progressed to the national Class A 35.5kg semi-finals with four enthralling victories.

His first win came at The Lighthouse Venue, 12 Centenary Park, Cornet Way, Salford, which was a very closely fought contest for the North West Region semi-final against Tyler Jones of Blackrod in-which the Hamer boxer won by split-decision.

Sharuf met Jack Marshall of Irlam ABC in the North West Region final at the same venue and he received a unanimous decision to take the title with his relentless attacking style that has gained him the ring alias ‘The Bengal Tiger’.

In the pre-quarter finals Shahruf had to travel to Croxteth Sports Centre on Altcross Road, Croxteth, Liverpool to meet local boxer Joe McGrail of Everton Red Triangle Boxing Club. In the first round Shahruf struggled to work out McGrail's style of boxing but in the second and third he began to connect with solid punches that saw he gain the decision by a split verdict.

Shahruf was on his travels again on 16 May when he met another local lad in Jagbir Mann of Wednesbury ABC, at Great Barr Leisure Centre on Aldrige Road, Birmingham.

Mann was late to enter the ring while Shahruf kept warm by jogging on-the-spot and shadow boxing and when the Birmingham lad finally arrived he looked like a rabbit caught in headlights. His anxiety showed as Shahruf chased him from pillar to post in the first round. 

Mann gained a little success at the start of the second round but it was short lived when the Hamer youngster began to connect with numerous, solid punches and in the third and final round Mann was given a standing eight count when Shahruf landed a big punch.