Bolton boxer means business tomorrow night at Bolton Whites

Samir Aftab from Bolton is gearing up for his first win against Marius Vysniauskas on July 16 at the Premier Suite at Bolton Whites Hotel.

The 21-year-old Is tipped to win by the boxing pundits, who dub him as one of the best newcomers to the scene with his quick pace.

Fighting at 52kg, Samir has come a long way from his amateur days and has the whole of Bolton on his side.

Samir with Steve Woods

Training at Premier Boxing owned by cousin Waday Khan, Samir was inspired to get into the ring when his cousins dabbled in it.

While they eventually stopped going, Samir got the bug and now spends all of his little free time coaching boxing and training.

He said: “It’s all I’ve known really ever since I saw my cousins do it.

“I remember one night on the way back from a fight I just thought that I wanted a trophy and to feel the same way after a win.

“I just got really inspired and I knew then that this was it for me, this was my dream.

“Boxing is everything for me and I just want to show the world I mean business.”

Samir’s coach Rasib has also been a huge driving force in his career as Samir looks up to him.

Samir in the ring

He said: “Ras and I are a team, he works at the gym and helps me train, I’m so thankful to have him and my family who are always behind me too.

“If I wasn’t for boxing, who knows what I’d be doing and now I get young kids coming up to me and saying they want to get into it too.

“If I’ve helped get kids into it and away from trouble, then that’s amazing to me.”

The promising pro is not afraid to ruffle feathers in the industry.

He said: “I’m ready and I’m going to prove it. I don’t back down from a fight and I want to fight the best to beat them and come out on top.”

Sami’s sponsors include the 80/20 health bar, who he credits for keeping him nutritiously healthy and at full potential in the gym as well as Eliquid Samples.