Hamzah is climbing a mountain as he bids for title glory

Poster for Hamzah Ahmed’s second fight in Birmingham next month

HAMZAH Ahmed is hitting the peaks in his bid to hit peak condition.

On top of roadwork and gruelling gym sessions, the Walsall lightweight – tipped by many for big things – runs up Shropshire landmark the Wrekin each week. That’s a 1,335 feet, uphill slog.

The 23-year-old former amateur session, managed by Anthony Manning, trained in his hometown by Shiney Singh – makes it to the top in around 17 minutes. The descent takes 10.

He is, he stressed, training harder than he’s ever trained before.

Hamzah will not now be appearing his manager’s “Nxt Gen” show at Eastside Rooms next Saturday, September 30.

Instead, the fighter with a very big fanbase has his second pro outing on BCB’s October 20 show at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham. The bill is headlined by Ijaz Ahmed’s British super-flyweight return with Marcel Braithwaite.

“I just felt I needed more time to prepare,” Hamzah told me.

He made his debut with a points win at the Eastside Rooms in June – and brought a huge crowd to Manning’s first show as a promoter.

Anthony pulled out all the stops for the newcomer. There were fireworks, a rapper, the scene sending waves of excitement through the venue.

Hamzah has added to his game and improved during the months that followed, he insists.

“I’m training with a prestigious stable of top pros and top amateurs,” he told me. “I feel like I needed the time since my last fight to adjust. The pro style is different, I’m pushing myself more, I’m not in my comfort zone.

“Shiney is very committed and leaves no stone unturned.

“If you listen to his message, if you do what he tells you, if you have the motivation to do what he tells you, then the success will come.

“I believe I can go a long, long way, but it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s about looking at where I am and what I’ve achieved in five years time.

“In the amateurs I was good on my feet. When I turned pro, I slowed down on my feet a lot and I don’t think it was a good idea. We’re working on style and shape.

“I’m happy with the way things are going. I topped the bill on my debut, I’m on the undercard of a British title fight for my second.”

Hamzah certainly has the unpaid pedigree to go far.

A product of home town club Fearless Boxing Academy, he won 50 of 60, claimed 10 Midland titles, a British Universities title, national title and boxed for England.

“I boxed in the elites and got beaten by the GB number one seed and it was by a split,” Hamzah said in a previous interview. “I decided then to go pro – the amateur style is all about smothering your work. Since turning pro, I’ve made a massive transition. It’s become like a full-time job, I train every day, twice a day. It’s a job.

“I know what I bring to the table. I’m an exciting fighter, I can talk well, I’m confident, I’ve got that charisma and I can punch a bit. There were three standing counts in my last five amateur fights. I’ve got a good following – 7,000 on Instagram.”

I can assure those attending next month’s contest that it will sound as if all 7,000 are in the hall.