A HEREFORD boxer has the opportunity to become a national boxing champion this weekend and build of previous success at the tournament.

Othman Said, aged 24, from South Wye Police Amateur Boxing Club heads to Kettering for the semi- finals of the National Development Championship.

The semi-finals are held on Saturday with the finals held the following day.

Said reached the final in 2019 and has reached the last four at cruiserweight with three wins over the last few weeks.

He became Midlands champion by out-jabbing the towering Connor Young (Old Hill) in Birmingham.

That set up a quarter-final against Yorkshire champion Connor Zyzak (Golden team) on Sunday.

Coach Vince McNally asked for Said to throw more rights in the bout and that was the punch that brought him a dramatic win in the third and final round.

Zyak towered over Said by three or four inches – but it was the Hereford boxer’s speed and power that were decisive.

Said forced a standing count late in the opening round and was the aggressor throughout the second.

Said provided an exclamation-mark finish to the bout in the last round. He slammed a right-hand power punch off Zyak’s jaw to make him touch down for a count – and Said needed only one more shot to finish the bout.

Both fighters let go right hands and Said was quicker to the punch, leaving Zyak flat on his back. The referee waved the bout off.

Hereford Boxing Academy are staging their next successful boxing show at Hereford Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 23.

Veteran featherweight Tom Beech is among the boxers from the Widemarsh Common gym who are set to be matched on the show.