4ft 6in boxer gearing up for big fight

FAISAL ONLY PICKED UP THE GLOVES 18 MONTHS AGO

- By JOEL MOORE

JUST 18 months ago, Faisal Mohammed had never even slipped on a pair of boxing gloves.

But next week he'll be fighting in front of hundreds as he goes head-to-head with the UK’s most famous boxer with dwarfism.

At 4ft 6ins tall, Faisal himself has dwarfism which is caused by skeletal dysplasia.

"I saw posts online for boxing from a promoter that was looking for another fighter for another dwarf," said the 32-year-old, who admitted he “didn’t know anything” about the sport before signing up for a gym in June last year.

"Two days after that I signed up to a boxing gym and had my first fight in August.”

Faisal, from Aspley, was victorious in his first bout, against Likkleman Jr, but lost his second to Choon Tan a couple of months later, before getting his revenge in a rematch in December.