Danish is shaping up to be the new Amir Khan (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Danish is shaping up to be the new Amir Khan

6:30am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Other By Mike Crowther

Danish Muhammad has been given a ringing endorsement as he bids to inflict a first defeat on national schoolboy champion Jack-Lewis Dickinson on Saturday.

The Keighley teenager goes head to head with the 2011 class one under-38kg title winner for a place in the semi-finals at this year’s competition.

And his coach Mike Jelley, who used to train Amir Khan, says the 13-year-old South Craven pupil reminds him of the Olympic silver medallist when he was a similar age.

The Bury Amateur Boxing Club chief said: “Danish puts so much hard work in. I have seen a lot of lads in my time and he has the same temperament as Amir - that’s how good I think he could be.”

Danish – who was also national champion in class one last year – set up his 42-44kg class two quarter-final clash in Gorton, near Manchester, after beating Droitwich ABC’s Michael O’Toole in emphatic style last weekend at the same venue.

His opponent, who had won 16 out of 29 bouts, was given a standing count in the first round and, after receiving another in the second following a strong right hand from Danish, the contest was stopped.

His 12-year-old brother Ibrahim Nadim also made it through to the weekend’s quarter-finals, thanks to a 14-9 win in the class one 32-34kg category over John Dunne (Nuneaton Boys).

He will now fight Joe McKenzie who, like Danish’s opponent Dickinson, is from Birtley Boxing Club.

Jelley hopes the boys will receive plenty of support for their contests at the Manchester Boxing Centre of Excellence at Grange School Sports Hall.

He said: “Both lads have got tremendously hard fights, with Jack Dickinson having won 17 out of 17.

“But I have confidence in them both. I can’t praise the kids enough for their hard work.

“They travel 40 miles twice a week to train here and put every ounce of effort in. If anything, they must be careful not to train too hard.”

Boxing is from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturday.