A new star is emerging on the Newark boxing scene after Dinesh Puri continued his rise up the amateur ranks by picking up a title on the national stage.
Proving it runs in the family: Dinesh Puri, step-brother of former boxing champion Carl Greaves, picked up his first national title on Saturday.
Puri, 18, of Beaumont Walk, Newark, picked up the 51kg Class A Senior Novice National Championships title on Saturday, beating Luton-based Zeshan Tahir, of Hockwell Ring ABC, at Mountbatten Leisure Centre, Portsmouth.
The youngster — who is Newark’s former WBF world title holder Carl Greaves’ step-brother — extended his record to nine wins in 11 bouts with the comprehensive win over Tahir.
It was the fifth fight in the competition for the youngster, who trains out of South Normanton ABC, Derbyshire, tutored by Joe Elliott and Paul Cowling, and occasionally Carl Greaves Boxing Academy, Newark.
Puri said: “I have been waiting for a long time to have this opportunity to show people what I can do and now I have done that.
“Because I am small, I have not been able to get as many fights as I would have liked under my belt, but now that is changing and I am fighting regularly.
“Hopefully I can continue to go on to bigger and better things in the amateur game and then as a pro with the guidance of my trainers and coaches.”
After a gruelling schedule, Saturday’s win was Puri’s fifth fight in less than five weeks.
Greaves, who has helped train Puri with the help of sidekick Russ Openshaw since he was 10-years-old, said he had a three-year plan for the teenager, who could go professional in 2014 if all goes to plan.
“I am very proud of what he has achieved — it shows it runs in the family,” said Greaves.
“I honestly believe this lad can go a long way. I have seen a lot of boxers in my time but Dinesh has all the skills.
“He is still young and still learning but he is fast and times his punches well. When he grows up a little and gains some power I know he can be very dangerous.”
