Gamal Yafai
Encyclopedia
Gamal Yafai is an English amateur boxer fighting in the 54kg Bantamweight category. He is a member of the England elite squad as well as the Great British podium squad and recently won bronze at the 2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships
in Moscow.
and is a member of the Great Britain elite squad trained by Robert McCracken
and funded with money from the National Lottery. His brother Khalid Yafai boxed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
and is also a member of the Great Britain elite squad.
In June 2010 Gamal won the bronze medal at the 2010 European Championships
in Moscow
. On route to semi-finals Yafai beat Israels Peter Moyshenzon 11-1 in the 1st round, Italy's Vittorio Parrinello
5-3 in the second and Irelands John Joe Nevin
, a World bronze medalist, in the quarter finals. Yafai lost in the semi-final 3-2 to the Russian Eduard Abzalimv and so securing the bronze medal. The tournament was Yafai's first outing at senior international level.
Domestically Weaver was crowned ABA flyweight champion in 2009 with a win over Adam Whitfield beating him 11-5 in the final. Gamal followed in the footsteps of his brother Khalid who won an ABA title in 2008. Of the victory Yafai's coach at his club in Birmingham Frank O'Sullivan said "I was concerned about Gamal’s stamina but he handled it well...He boxed superbly to instructions and finished the first round 2-2. At the end of the second it was 5-5 and Gamal then went all out to win and stormed to success 11-5...It was a cracking victory and now Gamal can go on and establish his own career and will, for instance, be boxing in the three nations for England at Liverpool at the end of May." Yafai did indeed box in the three nations tournament featuring competitors from England, Wales and Scotland once again meeting Adam Whitfield in the final and once again coming out on top, this time 13-4.
2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships was held in Moscow, Russia from June 4 to June 13, 2010. It was the 38th edition of this biennial competition organised by the European governing body for amateur boxing, EUBC.- Medal winners:...
in Moscow.
Amateur career
Weaver boxes for Birmingham City Police ABC in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and is a member of the Great Britain elite squad trained by Robert McCracken
Robert McCracken
Robert McCracken is a former British middleweight boxer and world title challenger from Birmingham, England. Robert worked as a wood machinist at Hoskins Cabinet Works, Bordesley, Birmingham before turning to boxing.He was affectionately known as "boxing Bob". McCracken turned pro in 1991 in the...
and funded with money from the National Lottery. His brother Khalid Yafai boxed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and is also a member of the Great Britain elite squad.
In June 2010 Gamal won the bronze medal at the 2010 European Championships
2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships was held in Moscow, Russia from June 4 to June 13, 2010. It was the 38th edition of this biennial competition organised by the European governing body for amateur boxing, EUBC.- Medal winners:...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. On route to semi-finals Yafai beat Israels Peter Moyshenzon 11-1 in the 1st round, Italy's Vittorio Parrinello
Vittorio Parrinello
Jahyn Vittorio Parrinello is an Italian boxer who competed in the 2008 Olympics at bantamweight but lost his first fight to 2004 silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom 1:12...
5-3 in the second and Irelands John Joe Nevin
John Joe Nevin
John Joseph Nevin , more commonly known as John Joe Nevin, is an Irish amateur boxer who won the Irish national boxing title and qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics at the age of 18....
, a World bronze medalist, in the quarter finals. Yafai lost in the semi-final 3-2 to the Russian Eduard Abzalimv and so securing the bronze medal. The tournament was Yafai's first outing at senior international level.
Domestically Weaver was crowned ABA flyweight champion in 2009 with a win over Adam Whitfield beating him 11-5 in the final. Gamal followed in the footsteps of his brother Khalid who won an ABA title in 2008. Of the victory Yafai's coach at his club in Birmingham Frank O'Sullivan said "I was concerned about Gamal’s stamina but he handled it well...He boxed superbly to instructions and finished the first round 2-2. At the end of the second it was 5-5 and Gamal then went all out to win and stormed to success 11-5...It was a cracking victory and now Gamal can go on and establish his own career and will, for instance, be boxing in the three nations for England at Liverpool at the end of May." Yafai did indeed box in the three nations tournament featuring competitors from England, Wales and Scotland once again meeting Adam Whitfield in the final and once again coming out on top, this time 13-4.