Hull heartbreak for young Shirazi

Seven days after winning the Bristol Box Cup, the 11 year-old Ken Stimpson School pupil from Bretton boxed in the Hull Box Cup, another Olympic-style, open class tournament held over three days with over 400 boxers from the UK and Europe taking part.

Shirazi drew Sol Sullivan from Tyne Tees and Wear in the quarter-finals showed his class in all three rounds to firmly book his semi-final place on day two.

Next up was Yorkshire boy Macauley Kellsall in the semi-finals and both boxers showed grit and determination in a good old-fashioned toe-to-toe punch-up. This time, however, Shirazi just fell short, losing on points to a worthy opponent.

The club’s head coach Chris Baker said: “Imraan was very disappointed not to get through to the final, but he has been a busy boy this season and has come on leaps and bounds.

“To get into the semi-finals after winning in Bristol last weekend is a fantastic achievement for a boy who is only 11.”

Father and coach Akif Shirazi added: “I was gutted for Immy. He train’s so hard every day and is a real champion in the making. Imraan took the loss with fantastic maturity and will go on to achieve great things in boxing and life. I was a really proud dad this weekend”.

Shirazi, along with two other up-and-coming Peterborough Police youngsters, Alfie Baker and Shae Gowler, will be travelling to Ireland to compete in the Irish Monkstone tournament at the end of the month.