Walsall Wood's Hamza Uddin 'pick-pocketed'
Walsall Wood Boxing Club felt like they had been pick-pocketed by young Hamza Uddin's defeat in the national final of the England Schools Minors Championship.
He stepped through the ropes for his title decider and someone's '0' had to go when he took on Blue Bowers at the Arc Leisure Centre, in the Derbyshire town of Clowne.
The undefeated Bowers had swotted up on what to expect from Uddin, a flashy orthodox stylist in the mould of 'Prince' Naseem Hamed. He even wears the same leopard-print ring attire.
Both were unblemished going into play, Uddin winning seven after skills (exhibition) bouts compared to the four of Bowers, from Wickham in Hampshire, writes Craig Birch.
They were put on a collision course in the youngest section of the competition, for boxers born in 2003, at 29.5kg.
It seemed business as usual for the 11-year-old Joseph Leckie Academy student when he bombed out for the first round.
He dominated proceedings and commanded the centre of the ring, easily taking the opening session, but Bowers' tactics worked from there.
He hung back and invited pressure, negating Uddin's strength of counter punching as he stalked him down.
The West Midlands prospect was also getting tagged on the way out, in the merest of exchanges, when he did close in.
By the final bell, the game plan had worked as Bowers won two rounds to Uddin's first, all judges agreeing unanimously on points.
Trainer Shaun Healy said: "We have no complaints, the other lad did what he had to do to get the win and you can't argue with that.
"It was a bad at the office and the spoiling made for a scruffy, ugly fight. Their boy just backed off and wouldn't throw a punch first.
"It was a styles clash, really. Hamza's going to have learn how to overcome those sort of opponents. It's all part of his development."
Uddin and his camp at Wood will now call out Bowers for a rematch and are willing to go into their nemesis' backyard. Healy added: "We'll park him behind a jab next time."
