Sherif Lawal – ‘an inspiration’

A BOXER who died shortly after his first professional bout was laid to rest with his gloves on his coffin at a moving funeral attended by more than 200 friends and family.

Heartfelt tributes were paid to St Pancras Amateur Boxing Club’s Sherif Lawal at his funeral in St Pancras and Islington cemetery on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old, from Essex Road, died in hospital following a powerful blow to the temple during his pro debut at Harrow Leisure Centre in May.

Mr Lawal’s three sisters read a tribute written by his mother, Misitua Bisi Lawal, which described her son as a “tower of strength and inspiration”.

“[You were] determined, focused and always enjoyed learning new skills and challenges,” it said.

The tribute told how Mr Lawal was stabbed when he was 17 years old, changing the lives of their family, and leading him to take up boxing.

More than 200 people were at the funeral

CJ Hussein, who coached Mr Lawal at St Pancras, based in Talacre, Kentish Town, since 2012, described him as “a simply exceptional kid” with “a great smile”.

He said: “He was a role model, you can see from the turnout the support he had. He was training to be a mental health nurse, that shows you his caring side. He had a great smile, a great energy about him, I miss him.”

Ashley Alakija, who had been boxing along­side Mr Lawal for more than 10 years, added: “He had the most infectious laugh. You could hear his laugh from across the field, and whatever it was, he’d just make you start cracking up about it.”

Another of Mr Lawal’s sparring partners, Chris Thomas, said that his death had had a “massive impact on everyone in the gym”.

Sherif’s blue gloves and floral tributes were laid on the coffin as it was lowered

“Everyone has their own separate stories,” Mr Thomas said. “That’s what I love so much. Everyone has their own little connection with him. Everyone can tell you something different.”

Mr Hussein stressed that Mr Lawal’s tragic death had “nothing to do with the boxing”, adding: “It could have happened at any time. It’s absolutely tragic what’s happened.

“In boxing, we take every precaution, everything is taken into account. The medical in the UK is one of the strictest in the world. Any little thing that shows up in a scan or a medical, you’ll fail straight away, there’s no arguing about it. You’ve got to be 101 per cent to box. And he was the fittest kid in that gym. Never drank, never smoked, green tea, no sugar, a perfect role model for the kids.”

The St Pancras ABC coach added that Mr Lawal’s death has meant that some at the gym had become concerned about getting back in the ring.

“The younger ones who were there who witnessed it, the ones that know him have taken a backwards step, and I totally understand that. I can’t force anyone to box,” he said.

Mr Alakija added that the tragedy had made him view the sport differently. He said: “It’s changed how I see boxing.

“I don’t see it as a game or a sport any more, it is serious.”