HASSAN Azim has added another national title to his collection after being crowned Youth Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) champion for 2018 with a devastating performance.

Having gone through the regional rounds, the national stage involved all the best youth boxers in the country competing over three days at the Doncaster Dome.

Azim defeated a former European champion and well-experienced Henry Turner in the Home Counties finals with an explosive performance, winning unanimously on the scorecards.

This put him into the national stages where he faced Charlie Pearson from the East Midlands. Pearson could not handle his strength and power, taking a standing eight count in the last round.

Azim comfortably progressed into the quarter-finals were he came up against the durable and strong boxer, Owen Rees, from the Birtley Gym and the Tees, Tyne and Wear region. Rees was a very tough opponent who exposed of the NABGC winner in the previous round.

Azim started fast and Rees struggled with his jab, eventually out-muscling and out-scoring his opponent in all department. Azim also inflicted a standing eight count in the second round, eventually winning comfortably to book his place in the final.

The final was contested against a opponent from the world-renowned Repton Gym against Khalid Ali.

From the onset, Azim did not let Ali settle and scored some meaty blows, dropping the Repton boxer for the first standing count, and the second came swiftly with precision back hands, again another standing count.

Ali was still shaken after the second standing count and Azim came in with powerful backhands that shock the opponent. The referee halted the contest with a stoppage and Ali was crowned the best 64kg boxer in the country.

Azim commented: ‘I’ve trained very hard for this and it’s just a start for 2018, with European Championships in Italy in April with England, plus the Youth World Championships and Youth Olympics later on in the year.

“I showed my skill and strength, and I’m ready to take on the world. Nothing is stopping me.”

Azim has already won the Junior ABA champion and Tri-nations Gold in 2016, NABGC champion in 2017 and this is his fourth national title.

Azim is a regular member of the England team and is all the emerging talent program with England Boxing.

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