Paisley Daily Express

RIGHT TO THE TOP

- Kash Farooq clinched the Lonsdale Belt outright on Saturday with victory over Duane Winters, left. His coach Colin Bellshaw, below, second on the left, is now plotting his next move

guys, but to have won the title not only once but three times is sensationa­l.

“You are talking about the likes of Alex Arthur and Jim Wattlevel of boxers that have done it before him so that tells you what you need to know.”

Bellshaw has seen Farooq up close since his amateur days and was the boxer’s first manager when he looked to make his way in the sport.

Now undefeated with a 13 and 0 record, he appears to have the world at the feet.

Bellshaw admits that Farooq has come a long way since he first locked eyes on him – both physically and in confidence.

He said: “You can see after every victory now the confidence that is coming from him.

“Kash won’t mind me saying this but he is just a wee humble guy who can be very quiet at times. But he is coming more and more out of his shell.

“You get a lot of boxers that run their mouths off and can’t back it up, however Kash does all of his talking in the ring.

“He is a credit to himself and a credit to Renfrewshi­re Boxing Gym. He is just one of the other guys in the gym and trains alongside every one else.

“We are so proud of what he has achieved and everyone at the club loves having him here.

“He is now being recognised for the talent he is and I think that has helped him open up a little. He loves sitting talking with the other boxers in the gym and the attention has done him good too.”

But what next for Farooq and Bellshaw?

He claimed after the Winters fight that he is ready to “give Scottish boxing fans what they want” and meet Commonweal­th champion Lee McGregor later this year.

Edinburgh’s McGregor, 22, is now the mandatory challenger and both fighters are keen for the bout to happen.

“I’d like it at the end of the year,” Farooq said. “Lee wants it as well. We’re good pals. There’s no beef or anything like that. I’ve not got anything bad to say about him.

“It’s two bantamweig­hts, we’re the same age as well and we grew up in the Scotland team. We just want the fight on. But it’s down to the management.”

Bellshaw is more than happy to listen to his scrapper’s request to battle it out with McGregor – but reckons the fight could be even bigger.

He said: “If he is to defend the belt again then Kash would have to face Lee.

“That has the potential to be one of the biggest fight’s in Scottish boxing history.

“They both might want it this year but I think it has the potential to be even bigger .”

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