IT IS the dream of every young sportsperson to represent their country.
And this is now a reality for one young Southampton boxer, who will travel to the continent to fight for England.
Sixteen-year-old Amber Mossbirch has been selected to compete in the European Youth Championship this spring.
The Freemantle teen is the youngest fighter in the England team and will be going up against female boxers in Bulgaria.
There are only a few weeks to go until the competition and Amber says she is feeling “excited” about it.
She told the Daily Echo: “I am looking forward to it and feeling really good about it.
“My dad has been my biggest supporter, and the credit goes to him.
“A big thank you to him for taking me up and down the country to attend these camps.”
The teenager started boxing when she was only 12, and since then, the young boxer has come a long way with her dad.
“The best part of boxing is definitely the training," she said. "Because I get to train and bond with him during and after the session.”
And this mantra has paved the way for three English titles. Amber has also fought matches around the world.
Yet, while boxing is still a male-dominated sport, Amber is urging more girls to give it a try.
She added: “At first, I was nervous as I was the only girl in the gym.
“But as soon as I started training, I realised no one cares. Just give it a shot, and it’d be the best thing in the world.
The young boxing prodigy trains at a Millbrook-based gym called Golden Ring.
Stuart Gill, who has been the head coach at the gym since 1985, said: “Amber is natural, and she has got natural athletic ability.
"Although she had to work hard on her skills, she is naturally a fit person.“She is capable of winning the upcoming championship. She trains really hard and puts a lot of effort into the sport. I am expecting gold from her!”
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