Akash Tuqir is heading to finals weekend

The 16-year-old now represents Merridale Boxing Club in Wolverhampton after leaving Wellington Academy and went through on Sunday,

He scored a unanimous points victory over his East Midlands counterpart Stanley Forskitt, from Kings Heath in Northampton, at the Wallace Centre in Stoke-on-Trent.

He set it up with a win on home soil the previous weekend, although a disqualification for a head-butt from his opponent marred his contest with Ammar Khan at the Donnington Sports & Social Club.

Tuqir was again firmly on top this time, using his height to keep Forskitt at range and peppering him with the long jab to set up his southpaw attacks.

Sharp back-hands at close quarters caught the eye of the judges even further and he celebrated his success without incident this time, unlike when Khan was thrown out for a petulant headbutt.

Merridale trainer Khalid Hussain said: "I am over the moon with Akash's performance, he boxed superb and followed his instructions perfectly.

"He's a good kid who trains hard, he's getting stronger and growing in confidence every bout he has. He really is ready to take on the best in the country!"

The three-time national finalist and former Tri-Nations champion now hopes to make it third time lucky by claiming the top title that he craves.

That will be decided when the re-branded Youth competition stages all three of it's remaining stages over a weekend fight camp for the first time.

Tuqir will travel to the Ferryhill Community Hub in County Durham next week with quarter-finals on Friday, the last four on Saturday before the national finals on Sunday.

He's one of only four West Midlands lads still involved alongside Wodensborough's Benjamin Whittaker and Tom Collins, from Hall Green in Birmingham, and Warley's Corey Clarke.

But Donnington's Toni Crooks remains a part of proceedings and is awaiting for her first fight on the female side of the competition, walking over to finals weekend at 51kg.