Rehman wants to be new Lord of the Flys

Ali Rehman...an assured debut at Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport

THE excitement had still not subsided when I spoke to Ali Rehman the morning after his winning debut.

The switch-hitting flyweight was still on a high from the four round points victory over seasoned campaigner Sean Jackson.

And the 21-year-old has good reason to be pleased with last night’s performance at Birmingham’s Holiday Inn.

He looked assured, bossed the action, showed an educated jab and whipped in hurtful body shots. Manchester’s Jackson may have yet to register a win after 22 bouts, but he’s tough and has tested a string of bright prospects.

Ali took every round, registering a 40-36 whitewash.

In short, on a very busy evening for the McCracken gym, the man from Cape Hill, Smethwick, looked like he belonged.

Ali, whose family run an off-licence, also shifted a lot of tickets – around 200 by his reckoning.

In a division lacking real depth, he can emerge as an area title contender sooner rather than later.

“I’m over the moon,” he told me. “It was probably the easiest fight I’ve had and that was down to the work I put in. Train hard, fight easy.

“I hurt him with three really good body shots and could’ve stopped him. My jab was dangerous, spiteful. He was on the backfoot throughout the fight. Afterwards Sean Jackson said that was probably the hardest someone had hit him to the body. He said I’d hit him more than some of those Matchroom fighters.”

Ali, a former Eastside amateur, admitted there were nerves before the first bell sounded.

He said: “There are always nerves, there is always going to be pressure to perform for your people and family. You just want to do everything for your coach – and Spencer McCracken Jnr has been there for every stage of this journey.”

Last night’s professional taster has certainly boosted Rehman’s confidence and left him wanting more.

He added: “I can see title fights by the time I’ve had five or six fights – and in the flyweight division that can happen.

“I never really wanted to stop someone, I was more in love with the boxing and art of it. I realise now I’ve got to step my game up and get the knockouts.”

As an amateur, Ali didn’t pull up trees during a 25 bout career. That, he insists, was down to a lack of desire and dedication.

He’s now focused and backed by friends in high places. Both current red hot prospect Ibraheem “Spider” Sulaimaan and acclaimed rapper Jaykae are colleagues who persuaded him to go pro.

“As an amateur, I never took it too seriously,” he said. “A lot of people told me I was a talent. I’ve now learnt you have to put 100 per cent into everything in life.”

In a previous interview, Ali told me: “I’m that person you don’t see coming. Spencer Jnr told me, ‘you’re the one that comes under the lights’.”

His light certainly shone brightly last night.