Boxing: Hamer ABC’s Monir Miah reaches county championship semi-finals

Monir Miah with Hamer coaches Steven Connellan and Alan Bacon

Monir ‘Real Money’ Miah of Hamer Amateur Boxing Club progressed to the semi-finals of the NABGC North West Region County Championships on Sunday 21 October.

The Class C, 60kg-64kg boxing bout was held at Tameside Boxing Gym in Stalybridge and the much taller, unbeaten Longsight boxer Shahzad Zafar came out using his long reach to keep his Hamer opponent at bay, whilst Miah tried hard to work inside.                     

Miah, 17, managed to land a jab to find his range, then he suddenly unleashed an overhand right which landed flush upon Zafar's chin. The Longsight boxer immediately moved onto the ropes to find some distance and Miah followed up with another jab to the head before unloading a solid right hook to the rib-cage which clearly hurt Zafar and he immediately began to use the ring to distance himself from his much stronger opponent.  

This continued throughout the round with Miah chasing Zafar onto the ropes to unload a continuation of hurtful punches whilst his Longsight opponent could do nothing but hold onto his Hamer foe, which received a warning from the referee.

Before the bell rang for round two, Hamer coach Steven Connellan told Miah to continue to do what they had worked on in the gym, as he believed it was working and if Zafar held again then Miah should push him off to find his range before unloading more punches.              

The bell rang for the second round and Zafar came out to use the perimeter of the ring once again to keep his distance and use his probing jab whilst Miah continued to try to get his opponent back onto the ropes, so he could work the body and head.

Zafar was constantly on the move as he shot out his jab before stepping back out of range and Miah tried to land another overhand right which missed by some distance. As the bout progressed, Miah forced his opponent into his own corner and he began to unload hurtful blows to both the body and head. This persisted for a good twenty seconds before Zafar turned the Hamer youth and found sanctuary on the other side of the ring.

The Longsight boxer continued to try and maintain his distance, but the Hamer boxer was finding success now and as he forced him onto the ropes, all Zafar could do was hold. Miah broke free and landed some solid punches to the head which force Zafar back into his own corner and – just as Miah moved in to unload more hurtful blows – the Longsight boxer grabbed hold of him again which prompted the referee to issue him another warning.

The bout was allowed to continue, and Zafar immediately grabbed hold of the Hamer boxer again and this time the referee issued him a public warning.

In the third and last round, Zafar changed tactics and he came out to take the fight to his Hamer opponent. He had been clearly told by his corner that he was probably losing and that he needed to win the last round if he was to win the bout.

He began by unloading one-two combinations on the front foot, which forced Miah back onto the rope and go on the defensive. 

This lasted for only a short time as Zafar began to tire and as the seconds passed Miah slowly began to find his range again which led him to receive the verdict by unanimous decision.