Shropshire Star

Saqub Shafiq boxes on in the Development

Saqub Shafiq got busy in the England Development Championships and ensured there will be a Shropshire presence come the national quarter-finals.

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Shafiq came in at the pre-quarters stage fresh last weekend on a bye and produced a masterclass to progress,

writes Craig Birch.

The Wellington Boxing Academy fighter is entered in the juniors, all featuring entrants of between two to 10 bouts of experience, separated into two age ranges by weight.

Class A is for boxers born in 2001, while Class B is for 2000. Shafiq is at 52kg in Class A and travelled to Merseyside for his first taste of action.

In the other corner at the Croxteth Leisure Centre in Liverpool was Chester's Thaum Wright, who boasted far more ring experience.

The Shropshire combatant boxed smartly on his back-foot in the first of the three rounds, keeping his guard tight as Wright came forward to attack.

Bravado nearly cost both in the second as they regularly kept their hands down, leaving them open to taking unnecessary shots.

Shafiq wised up for the third and last round and used his jab more regularly, closing out his performance to the final bell.

The cards were called into play where the judges were in no doubt of the victory as the win went to Shafiq on points, by unanimous decision.

He will now make the trip to Scunthorpe to compete in the quarters this Sunday, with the phase to take place at the Riddings Sports Hall. He takes on Manley Brown, from Clifton in Bristol.

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