Wellington's glory through Shabaz Masoud
Shabaz Masoud brought home Wellington Boxing Academy's second national title after six years of existence in only his third fight for the club.
Masoud won his final in the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs Championships to provide the glory for his new gym,
The 20-year-old lives in Stoke-on-Trent, but is a nephew of Wellington head coach Mo Fiaz and has resumed boxing after studying at university.
After beating David Seymour in a club bout debut, a victory over Donnington's Liam Davies in the NAGBC area finals proved to be enough to take him all the way to the decider.
There was no opponent for him in the quarters and semi-final opponent Ryan Daley, from North Star in Sunderland, pulled out ahead of their clash.
The honours at 56kg in Class D, for boxers born from 1995 to 1997, at 56kg were contested at Wycombe Wanderers Football Club's Adams Park on Wednesday night.
Masoud went toe-to-toe with Jordan Purkis, from Chadwell in Essex, and got his jab working quickly while looking to catch his adversary with left hooks as he came forward.
Purkis aggressively battled his way into the fight come the second round but was still getting tagged, with shots to the body slowing him down.
They went toe-to-toe for the third and final round, Purkis taking two standing counts as the punches flew. He saw the final bell, though, with Masoud rolling him over unanimously on points.
Wellington club-mate Saqub Shafiq couldn't join him in the national finals at 52kg in Class A (born 2001), after losing in the semis last weekend.
Shafiq was defeated unanimously at the Croxteth Leisure Centre in Liverpool against hometown fighter Harry Kinsella, from Kirkdale.
Donnington's Bradley Thompson takes his place in the final at 46kg against Khahil Osman, from Repton in London.
Thompson scored a superb victory unanimously on points over three-time national champion Brian Stokes, of Sandygate in Burnley, at Croxeth.
The 15-year-old is looking to round off a successful 2016, after claiming his first national title in the England Schools competition earlier this year.
Rounding off the Shropshire interest in Class A at 50kg is Raheem Mohammed, representing the Len Woodhall Community Club in Madeley.
Mohammed could claim his first national title if he can defeat Repton's George Mitchell, having beaten Bridlington's James Precious unanimously at Croxteth.
The Len Woodhall gym is also represented at 66kg in the female Class A by Kara Murray, who goes for her second national accolade.
The Schools titlist goes up against Olivia Freeman, from Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, in an all-Midlands decider. All Class A ties will take place at the Action Indoor Arena in Bristol on Sunday.
It's the first action in the competition for Murray after byes, but warmed up with a unanimous points success over Paige Goodyear on her club show last weekend.
