Express & Star

Lions go hunting more titles

Lions BC aim to add to their Midland title haul this weekend.

Published

Osama Mohamed and Matthew Ford will be looking to join club-mate Ben Collins by claiming championship belts in Stoke tomorrow and progress though to the national stages of the ABA Championships.

Rising star Mohamed, aged 16, last year’s ABA Cadet Junior champion, booked his u57kg title shot with a victory against Tyler Kendall (Cleary ABC) at the same venue last weekend. He now fights Ewan Sullivan (O’Dells BC).

Matthew Ford, 15, beat Isaac Vandapye (Stoke) on a split decision at u66kg to earn a title bout with Tamworth’s Jack Ross.

Ben Collins, 15, has already been crowned Midlands champion after receiving a bye through to the national quarter-finals in the u70kg category.

William Wilson missed out on a title shot after losing to last year’s ABA champion, Josh Rose (Hall Green ABC).

“Ben is Midland champion and hopefully Osama and Matthew will be celebrating on Sunday,” said Kev Dillon, head coach at the Brierley Hill-based club. “Last weekend was a good one for the club and I was really pleased with the lads.

“Osama had a very comfortable victory and Matthew boxed well to win his fight, while William was a bit unlucky to be drawn against last year’s ABA champion.

“But I was pleased with the way he boxed, and he was proud of his performance. It was good experience and he will learn from it.”