Halesowen boxing ace Osama Mohamed targeting a winning return

The 19-year-old will be back competing for the first time in more than three months after being forced to miss his first national championships as a senior with an unfortunately timed head injury.

Mohamed was cut by a clash of heads in a warm-up bout arranged, somewhat ironically, to give him experience of fighting without a headguard following his step up from the youth ranks.

Now recovered, he is eager to resume the upward career trajectory which saw him awarded a spot on Great Britain’s emerging talent programme at the start of the year.

“Osama is eager to get back in there and put everything we have been working on in the gym into practice,” explained Kev Dillon, his coach at Lions Amateur Boxing Club.

“Missing out on the nationals was a huge shame but back luck happens in boxing.

“He is still on the emerging talent programme. The only frustration is had he done well at the nationals, he would have climbed higher up the ranks.”

Mohamed caught the eye of the GB coaches after a superb 2022 which saw him win bronze at the European Youth Championships and then reach the quarter-finals of the worlds.

The former Windsor High student is one of two Lions boxers heading to Haringey with William Wilson, who also boxes at 63.5kgs, entering the youth tournament.

Staged at Alexandra Palace, the event is the largest box cup in Europe with more than 500 male and female fighters due to compete. Bouts take place in five rings across three days, starting on Friday.

Anthony Joshua and Nicola Adams are among the famous names to have won gold at the tournament during their amateur days.

“It’s the first time we’ve taken boxers to the Haringey Cup for nine years,” said Dillon. “The last time we went Connor Lee Jones won gold in the youth event.

“It’s a very prestigious event which gets plenty of attention. Both of the boys are really looking forward to it.”