NEW FACES by Cormac O’Donnell Mohammed Alakel
BEST NIGHT: With just 10 fights under his belt in amateur and professional boxing combined, Alakel’s record is low in numbers but high in promise. “Mighty Mo” has grown up in public on big events and is already finding his groove. His fight against Joshua Ocampo, part of the Usyk-Fury 2 event, showcased what he and his trainer, Joe Gallagher, have been working on: Press, press, press with a reaching jab. Step back and load up with alternating hooks. Alakel also has a stinging right that dropped Ocampo in the second round, and he is increasingly searching for right uppercuts. “Now we’re beginning to see, as I call it, a nasty side to him, a spiteful side to him that he’s beginning to enjoy hurting people,” said Gallagher. “That’s an art that you have to learn, how to lock on and finish people.” WHAT’S NEXT: Alakel’s short- and long-term plans are very clear – he wants to go all the way. “Building up my record, gaining experience and reaching the pinnacle,” he said. “I wouldn’t be boxing if I didn’t want to become a world champion. Whatever opportunity comes my way, I’ll take it.” Gallagher nods in agreement with this statement before strategically adding: “We’ll get a couple more fights, and then we’ll try and get a youth belt, and then go through the regional belts – because they want to move him quick. I’ve been told he’s got to make sure he’s ready, and they’ll provide the opportunities for him.” WHY HE’S A PROSPECT: Alakel has earned the trust of his trainer, and that’s saying a lot. Gallagher was The Ring’s Trainer of the Year back in 2015 and has been in the running for the award many times since then. He has guided some of the U.K.’s top talents, including former world titleholders Anthony Crolla, Scott Quigg, Natasha Jonas, Liam and Callum Smith (as well as brothers Stephen and Paul) and two-time title challenger Matthew Macklin, among many others. With a reputation like that to protect, he pulls no punches and is known for his brutal honesty. “We’re dealing with a kid who does have the potential that he has shown me over the last 12 months. He listens and is absolutely
Age: 20 Birthplace: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Weight class: Junior lightweight Amateur Record: 7-0 Turned Pro: 2024 Pro record: 3-0 Trainer: Joe Gallagher
on it.” According to Joe, beyond talent, it’s Mohammed’s grit that sets him apart. “He has got backbone, has got desire and will go through the wall. A lot of kids won’t. They get to it and won’t go over it – he will. He’ll need that down the line. This is a kid, I’m telling you now, when he gets to 10-0, you’ll be hearing conversations about ‘Mighty Mo.’ Joe then adds in his uniquely deadpan tone: “It’s not to massage his ego. I’ll soon tell him if he’s shit. “Even in the sparring in the gym, he’s got Josh Holmes – he’s the British [junior lightweight] champion – guys with 15-0 and 16-0. The competitiveness in the sparring, it’s unreal. “Mohammed is holding his own. Like with Alex Murphy that’s just gone fighting now for a British title at [junior welterweight]. The kid is sparring good, seasoned pros, grown men. He’s still a boy, but his time will come, and it’s all good learning experience for him.” Alakel sums it up: “I’m such a competitive person, I just like that competitive environment. Each day, I’m just looking forward to getting the better out of my sparring opponent.” WHY HE’S A SUSPECT: By virtue of his record still in the infancy stages, Alakel hasn’t quite had an acid test to identify any glaring deficiencies in his game. Perhaps the perception and pressure surrounding him may arouse suspicion before his boxing skills do. Being a Saudi and immediately fighting on huge Riyadh Season cards, and even being the focus of this mainstay column may invoke cries of tokenism. Gallagher, having tested Mohammed’s resolve, isn’t having any of this. “This isn’t a token gesture kid on the bill – Saudi kids to be on a show – just to represent Saudi. I tried to break him very early on and see if he could cope in that environment – the training, the pressure, everything that’s expected – and he did.” There’s also the stress of carrying the boxing hopes of an entire nation on your shoulders, in addition to being under the watchful eye of Turki Alalshikh. Joe acknowledges that “there’s pressure
on Mo to be Saudi’s first world champion. His Excellency wants him to fight every month. So whether we end up boxing on a big show, a smaller Manchester Frank Warren show at some point or whatever, he’s got to be kept active. Just fight, fight, fight. So there’s huge pressure on him. But how he handles that pressure is just like so cool, so calm, and there’s a youthfulness still of where he is enjoying the sport.” For his part, Mohammed isn’t overthinking it. “I feel like people [take boxing so seriously], it makes them not enjoy the sport, you know? I’m just enjoying every part of it, everything that comes with the Iife, and don’t think about it too much. I’m blessed.” STORYLINES: Mohammed was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but happened upon his love for boxing in Edinburgh, Scotland, of all places. Yes, you read that correctly. “I was with my dad one day on the streets of Edinburgh in Scotland, and he took me to a boxing gym randomly, and I just fell in love with it. I think that’s the case for a lot of boxers. “Walking into the boxing gym, smelling that sweaty smell, seeing the bags, the chains, everything – I was like, ‘This is my vibe.’” From that moment on, he was hooked. “Every day at school, I was waiting all day for that last class to finish. Then I would rush home, get changed, and then run or cycle to the gym. I was looking forward to it every day.” During his school years in Scotland, he would return to Riyadh for vacations, but the contrast between the boxing scenes was stark. “There were barely any boxing gyms, barely any boxing equipment. Unqualified boxing coaches.” Fast-forward to today, and Saudi Arabia is front and center in boxing’s global expansion, and Alakel couldn’t be more proud to play his part in it. “To see how it’s become such a big sport here, with all the kids improving, and then you’ve got the Mike Tyson Boxing Club up and running by Joe Gallagher. People are working hard to make boxing a big scene in Saudi Arabia. Seeing how things can change, that motivates me.”
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