Zara strikes to seal a second national triumph

The 14-year-old Thomas Telford student was victorious in the Female Cadet under-63kg category at Loughborough University.

Over two days of boxing, Pound4Pound boxing academy fighter Hussain beat Nottingham's Ruby Doherty in the semi-finals by unanimous decision, before winning 4-1 in the final via split decision against Destiny Ditchburn from Newcastle.

Hussain only first laced up her gloves seven months prior to winning her first national championship in 2023. The tragic death of close family friend Ali Tazeem was an inspiration behind her starting the sport.

Tazeem was a talented boxer who'd competed internationally before he lost his life in a car crash in Wolverhampton at the age of 18. He boxed at the Pound4Pound Boxing Academy in Walsall, which his father Toheed Tazeem opened in 2019, and Hussain is determined to continue fighting in his memory.

"There was a lad who was a very close family friend of ours called Ali Tazeem," her mother Laura Lewis revealed.

"He sadly passed away and that's what inspired her to start boxing. He was a very talented boxer before he sadly passed away in a car accident and Zara is boxing for the Ali Tazeem legacy now."

After consolidating her previous success in Guildford last year, Hussain will not be resting on her laurels and has more silverware in her sights.

Lewis continued: "We're really proud of her and it's a massive achievement to be two-time national champion.

"She'll be entering again next year and seeing how many club bouts she can get for the rest of the season."