England comes calling after national triumph (From Bucks Free Press)

Dedication pays off for Cressex schoolboy

4:29pm Monday 11th March 2013 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

JAMAL Khan will represent England in the Three Nations Championships next month after becoming the national schoolboy champion.

The 13-year-old Cressex pupil beat Anthony McKenna in Liverpool to become number one in England in the 38-40kg category and complete a journey to the title that began six fights ago.

Khan dominated all three rounds to get a unanimous points decision and has now been invited to the England training camp in Sheffield on April 11, when he will be presented with a Golden Glove.

He’ll then rejoin the squad at the end of April for the Three Nations Championships in Scotland.

Dad Astasar said: “It hasn’t been easy for him, going on five-mile runs before school and then training in the evening and watching his diet all the time.

“It’s very hard work and you really have to dedicate yourself to the lifestyle.

“But he enjoys it and now he’s boxing for England.”

Of the victory over McKenna, he said: “He boxed clever. He out-boxed his opponent and didn’t lose his technique.

“He can box a lot better than that, but he stuck to his gameplan.”

Khan learnt his trade with the High Wycombe Boxing Club before moving to Repton in Bethnal Green last autumn, and says he has learnt a lot from coach Adrian Moco.

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