Shropshire's Youth duo prepare to go again

Idris Mohammed and Ryan Tyrer have reached the West Midlands semi-finals and stand two fights away from area glory,

The first national tournament on the unpaid boxing calendar for 2016 continues in Stoke-on-Trent at the Wallace Centre, which will also host the West Midlands finals the following Sunday.

A single age range - competitors born in either 1998 or 1999 - houses the hopefuls, who have been split into weight classes before being whittled down.

Mohammed, from Wellington Boxing Academy, had to box three times in six days just to reach his current standing at a jam-packed 64kg.

He defeated Sohan Akram at Donnington, Ethan Collins at Wolverhampton Boxing Club and then Finbar O'Flaherty last weekend to stay in the hunt.

The tall and rangy operator has had to box clever to come through each bout unscathed and had to settle for a split decision, rather than unanimously on points, after being dragged into a brawl by O'Flaherty.

His opponent, from Priory Park in Dudley, came out hell for leather at the Irish Centre in Digbeth, Birmingham, and wanted to go toe-to-toe.

Mohammed managed to peg him back, as he established his jab from the second, and teed off to combine the left hook with a looping right.

The game O'Flaherty kept on coming as both combatants started to tire, but Mohammed maintained his control of the centre to the ring to again have his hand raised after three rounds.

Coach Mo Fiaz said: "It's not just how much Idris has had to box, it's also his first year doing the three threes distance.

"But he's been performing well and has paced himself, through the different tactics we've been using. There's no point in going beserk form the first round.

"He's been resting up and doing light training this week. We've had mainly on the pads and doing his circuits. We just need to keep him ticking over."

Mohammed is awaiting the winner of a Birmingham box-off and, if he prevails, will then battle either Kaash Buttery or Connor Warden for a place in the national stages.

Should he be paired all of the way to the final, the 16-year-old's record will contain eight Youth outings before he can claim a Youth national title.

Club-mate Husan Hussain, Wellington's first national champion in the England Junior event last year, will undertake a straight area final against Lewis Coley at 49kg in Stoke next Sunday.

Donnington's Tryer also featured on the Digbeth bill last weekend and saw off another Priory Park entrant in Sam Gwilt at 56kg.

He prevailed from a battle of the southpaws, although there wasn't much to pick between the two left-handers.

Tyrer had dumped out Liam Marston unanimously in an all-Shropshire duel at Donnington the previous weekend.

A first round knockdown helped him on his way there and he bossed the opening session against Gwilt, who regrouped in the corner and got on the attack.

Tyrer employed guile to escape trouble, when the pressure was on in the third after a scrappy second, and protected his lead to prevail on the cards unanimously.

He will now take on Ben Edwards, from Hall Green in Birmingham, with the winner to meet Aaron Bates or Jordan Jones.

Trainer Tristan Davies said: "Sam is a good kid, we knew that, but I thought Ryan was worth the win in the end.

"He did run out of gas, though, and it came towards the end of the second. I thought either he just nicked that round or it was drawn.

"I'd have to tell you Sam had the third, but Ryan had built up enough of a lead to deserve the result. He looked a bit jaded, maybe because of the longer distance.

"His movement and a sharpness got him through and being a crafty fighter stopped Sam from taking over. His corner probably weren't happy, but it was fair to me."

Hadley's reigning European Youth champion Akash Tuqir will feature at Stoke this weekend, in action for the first time since his exploits in Poland.

The slick southpaw has benefitted from byes so far and will first tackle Burton's Shazad Amran at 52kg, with a fresh Zach Davis awaiting the winner.

The 17-year-old, who represents Merridale in Wolverhampton, is looking to claim a national club title in his last year competing as a Youth.