Boxing club keeping kids on track in area of Walsall plagued by issues

Fearless Boxing Academy, currently based in Milton Street, has produced a number of national schoolboy champions while another promising youngster won his first professional bout last month.

But the ever-growing club, which now has 35 carded boxers on its books, is looking for a bigger permanent home in order to continue to grow.

Palfrey, along with neighbouring area Caldmore, has been hitting the news for violent incidents and crime in recent weeks and months, leaving the community in shock.

Local councillors have held public meetings to discuss problems whilst police have stepped up patrols in the wake of incidents.

But bosses at Fearless said they were keen to create better role models for younger people in the area to look up to.

Boxing coach Ghaffer Hussain set up Fearless back in 2017, having trained youngsters at other gyms and his stable grew from the six original fighters he had to the current 35 who are trained by six coaches.

They were previously based in Pleck but had to move out once the rent increased to an unaffordable level. With the help of Walsall Labour group leader Aftab Nawaz and his deputy Khizar Hussain, they were able to move into the former Palfrey Community Association building to keep running.

Mr Hussain said: “I was training youngsters in another gym and we wanted our guys to compete for us rather than other clubs. That’s the reason we started.

“The boxers we have range from the age of 10 up to 23 and most are from Walsall. But we get some coming from Birmingham  and Dudley who travel to us every day.

“People recognise our gym now and we are fighting for national titles. We’re professional coaches now.

“The next step is to get a better place – we need sponsorship and support from others. I can’t do it by myself but luckily I’ve got a great team. All the coaches work together.

“Not everyone is going to be a world champion but it’s about working together, getting confidence up and building bridges. They enjoy themselves and keep fit.

“The academy makes a lot of difference to the community. Some of the kids have become electricians or got onto plumbing courses and they are all doing well.

“None of them have gone to prison and the boxing has kept them on track, giving them responsibility and discipline as well as the drive to go forward.

“This community definitely needed something like this. There is a negative perception of the area.

“We want the next generation of kids coming up to look up to our boxers, rather than looking at those out there up to no good.

“Our boxers are a positive influence and hopefully people will see them on TV becoming champions.”

Young members Muhammad Ismail, Ahmed Abbas, Yusuf Uddin and Jagga Iftikhar – have all won national schoolboy titles.

Another national champ, 23-year-old Hamza Ahmed, recently turned pro and had his first professional fight in Birmingham last month which he emerged victorious.

Hamza, who also coaches youngsters at the gym, said: “Fearless is more like a family. We all get on and have jokes – its’a really nice social welcoming environment. All the lads help each other in times of need and it’s like a safe place.

“I recently got my degree in sociology and social policy at Aston University and I carried on boxing most of the time. I would say he helped keep me disciplined in studying as well as boxing.

“A lot of people say when you get punched, your brain cells go but I would argue they stay the same – I’ve still got mine!”

Muhammad Ismail, aged 14, won his national schoolboy title in 2021 – two months after having an operation to remove his appendix.

He said: “I’ve been with Fearless since 2018 and it’s a brilliant team. Well, not a team but a family. We are always together, help each other

“It has helped me stay disciplined, helped me mentally and physically and kept me on a good path. Not chilling in the streets – there is an element of the youth community which is about the bad side. Smoking and that.

“So I encourage people to send their children to Fearless. It has made such a difference, it builds character.”

Director Muhammad Khan added “We have a (schools’ half term) HAF programme orientated to boxing – it has transferable skills.

“We use that to give young people courage, motivation and we have had positive feedback.

“The next step is finding our own place, much bigger than this, and expanding for the community. We’re hoping to have women’s boxing sessions to give them a safe place to go.”

Anyone who can help support the club can contact Fearlessboxingwalsall@gmail.com