Birmingham’s Olympian
Galal Yafai
Galal Yafai, Birmingham’s team GB southpaw is looking forward to going to the Olympics in Rio this summer. The 23 year old, 5 foot 4 elite boxer has a Impressive amateur record of 29 fights and has won 25 of them. Galal boxed for Birmingham ABC and was coached by Frank Sullivan but is now trained by GB coaches.
His favourite boxer is Vasyl Lomachenko because of his movement, the best fight he has saw was Gatti v Ward.
Galal has been boxing for 6 years and his inspiration for boxing comes from his brother Khalid.
Khalid "Kal" Yafai is a British professional boxer. He is a former Commonwealth Super flyweight and current British, IBF and World Boxing Association Inter-Continental super-flyweight champion.
Galal told me his hardest fight was against the Cuban world champion.
When I asked Galal how he felt about making it to the Olympics the man of few words said “yeah it’s an amazing feeling I can't wait now”.
World series of Boxing
Galal Yafai has been a revelation this year for the British Lionhearts, one of a crop of young, talented boxers that have broken through to the world stage in style in 2016. Holding off the unbeaten Harvey Horn for the hotly contested light flyweight spot, Yafai’s WSB debut came in the form of a TKO win against Mexico Guerreros’ Joselito Velazquez in London’s York Hall in February, but it was his spectacular Semi-Final performance against Astana Arlans Kazakhstan’s Yerzhan Zhomart that cemeted his place for the final in Tashkent.
Past Results
2016 – World Series of Boxing Season 2016 Semi-finals – 49KG Won against Yerzhan Zhomart (KAZ) 3:0
2016 – AIBA European Olympic Qualification Event (Samsun, TUR) 1st place – 49KG Won against Artur Hovhannisyan (ARM) 3:0 in the final; Won against Samuel Carmona (ESP) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Daniil Platonovschii (MDA) DQ 3rd round in the quarter-final; Won against Enver Amis (ROM) 3:0 in the first preliminary round
2016 – World Series of Boxing Season 2016 6th Round – 49KG Won against Joselito Velasquez (MEX) TKOI 2nd round
2016 – Bocskai Memorial Tournament (Debrecen, HUN) 1st place – 49KG Won against Shalkar Aikynbay (KAZ) 2:1 in the final; Won against Imad Ahyoun (MAR) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Rufat Huseynov (AZE) 3:0 in the quarter-final
2015 – Olympic Test Event (Rio de Janeiro, BRA) 3rd place – 49KG Lost to Patrick Lourenco (BRA) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Tomoya Tsuboi (JPN) 3:0 in the quarter-final
2015 – Golden Gong Tournament (Skopje, MKD) 1st place – 49KG Won against Isak Sulejmani (MKD) TKO 3rd round in the final
2015 – English National Championships 3rd place – 49KG Lost to Sunny Edwards (ENG) 2:1 in the semi-final; Won against Scott Rankin (ENG) 3:0 in the quarter-final
2015 – Somercotes Boxing Show (Alfreton, ENG) 1st place – 49KG Won against Ben Norman (ENG) 3:0 in the final
2014 – English National Championships 5th place – 49KG Lost to Harvey Horn (ENG) 2:1 in the quarter-final
2012 – English National Novice Championships 1st place – 51KG Won against Troy Smart (ENG) by points in the final; Won against Kyle Staniforth
Dexter’s Thoughts
I have read a lot about Galal and after doing this write up I have a good feeling Galal will do well for team GB maybe even bring home a medal I wish the young Olympian all the luck in the world.