UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Aqeel Ahmed has won his rst GB vest and looks to defend his title at the Tammer tournament next month

The Ahmet Comert tournament in Turkey went well, what was it like?

It was alright, it was a good place, of all the European countries we’ve been to. It was a good country, nice place to be in.

It was my GB debut so it was brilliant to win gold on my first test. So I was over the moon.

So you went to the Commonwealth Games and World championships for Scotland.

I was delighted. I’m actually quite an experienced international boxer. I had quite a lot of bouts for Scotland. It didn’t feel too much different [with GB] but I’m obviously over the moon. It was a good start. It’s going to be a busy season ahead. I can’t complain.

What were your opponents like in Turkey?

I fought two Turks. My first fight was my hardest fight. I knocked [my opponent] out in the final in the second round.

How disappointing was the Commonwealth Games?

I got drawn against the eventual silver medallist [Amit from India]. He’s actually now the current Asian Games gold medallist so it just shows the pedigree of the person I was fighting. I hadn’t boxed for six months as well.

It didn’t work out but you’ve just got to get on with it.

I’d studied the division, I knew the top guys were the English and the Indian boxer. I actually did well, I got beat on a split decision off the Indian boxer. It was a good fight… Things weren’t working in my favour, it was just small things.

It wasn’t working out, the cards weren’t unfolding in my favour. You’ve just got to get on with it and move on to the next.

It sounds like you know what to do next time.

Yes, I’m prepared if we fight again. If we meet again, I’m up for the challenge for any of the fighters in the division.

What have you got next?

I actually just got the call that I’m going to be competing in the Tammer tournament, it’ll be with Scotland but obviously I’ll be training up at GB. That’s going to be my next one.

The entries [from other countries] do come up closer to the time of the fight. They vary, there are Russian and Kazakh boxers as well [as Nordic countries]. I’ve fought them in the past. I’ve fought some good fighters. I’ve actually won that tournament in the past two years. I won that tournament so it’ll be good to get back out again.

‘IT WAS MY GB DEBUT SO IT WAS BRILLIANT TO WIN GOLD’