IT IS a mark of the progress made by Keighley flyweight Muhammad Ali in his first six months as a senior member of Great Britain's podium boxing squad that interview questions no longer revolve around his famous name.

The 19-year-old has shrugged off the inevitable comparisons that arose during his rise to prominence and is now making a name for himself as he closes in on a place at next year's Rio Olympic Games.

Ali is one of an eight-strong GB boxing team heading to Qatar next month for the World Championships and he will do so in the knowledge that a final place in the 52kg category will be enough to earn his place in Brazil.

He will go to Doha having already experienced the highs and lows in his short elite career, rebounding from an awful cut which blighted his trip to the European Games in Baku in July to win European silver in Bulgaria the following month.

Ali said: "When you get a cut like I did in Baku it feels like the end of the world, but I quickly got back into sparring and worked on my head position and I believe I have learned a lot from it.

"The experience has taught me that there are a lot of guys out there who know they can't keep up with my work-rate and can't beat me, and they will do anything to win. It has changed me as a fighter and I might look back on it as a positive thing."

Famous name aside, Ali also arrived on the scene burdened by the extra weight of expectation which comes with training in Amir Khan's former amateur gym in Bury, under the tutelage of Khan's ex-coach Mick Jelley.

Although the pair are only acquainted in passing, Khan has spoken warmly of what he has seen of Ali, who won world junior silver before making his mark by winning an ABA title in only his third senior fight.

Ali got his first big international chance in Baku but after skating past experienced Moldovan Alexsandr Riscan in the opening round, he was ruled out in his next bout with Vincenzo Picardo by a cut above his left eye which required seven stitches.

Yet Ali was soon back into heavily protected sparring and produced a series of performances in Bulgaria which maintained his push towards Rio, reaching the 52kg final where he came up controversially short against home fighter Daniel Asenov.

Ali added: "When I went to Baku I just needed the opportunity to prove myself on the international stage and I believe I managed to do that by beating the Moldovan, even though I was cut in my next fight.

"I am going to the Worlds with one thing in mind and that is to qualify for the Olympics. I have seen the likes of Amir and Anthony Joshua rise up quickly and go on to do great things, and if I could achieve even half as good as them I will be happy."