Seconds out for teen Raheem Muhammed
Teenage Shropshire boxer Raheem Muhammed will be hoping to pack a punch when he takes on the best young fighters in Europe.
The 15-year-old is flying out to Bulgaria on Sunday for the European Junior Championships.
His Len Woodhall Boxing Club team-mate Kara Murray returned with a silver medal from the girls’ equivalent earlier this year.
And hopes are high that Raheem, who has been at the club for four years, can also be successful when he represents England in Albena in his first international competition.
“Kara did really well and we had a winner (Akash Tuqir) a few years ago,” said Laura Lewis, who assists husband Kal Hussain in coaching Raheem.
“He has been to the England camps all over the country so he has been sparring with the best fighters so he is as well prepared as he can be.
“This will be the last time he can fight in this competition at this level before he steps up to the youth category for up to 18 year-olds.”
The competition is for boxers born in 2001 and 2002 and Raheem fights at the 50kg weight.
He won a national title last December but will have to wait until the action begins on Monday to find out who he faces.
“When they get there there will be a big draw that maps out who fights who all the way through,” added Lewis.
“He’s worked hard and we’re hopeful he will do well.”
