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An amateur boxer with Down’s syndrome has said he wants to show people “anything is possible” after going toe-to-toe with a former world champion at a charity event.
Jake Edwards from St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, was surprised when he learned he would be fighting former world featherweight champion Lee Selby.
The 21-year-old said: “It was a big win, a big knock out – I knocked out a famous boxer.”
He said he wanted to “carry on and tell people, you can do it”, adding Tommy Fury was the boxer he would like to take on next.
Selby, who retired two years ago and is now an amateur boxing coach, said it was “amazing” to fight his friend, having met Jake through their shared love of clay shooting and boxing.
“He did about five laps around the ring beforehand, he was doing press ups in the ring,” he said.
“As soon as I got in he knocked me out before the start. He gave it the big talk before the fight and he backed it up in the ring.”
Selby said the event was “so much fun” it made him want to make a comeback, a feeling he hoped would “die down soon”.
The South Wales Police boxing show event last weekend raised nearly £12,000 for various causes.
Jake, who is type 1 diabetic, will soon be moving out of his family’s home and into supported accommodation on his own.
His dad Mark said the fight was a proud moment and “very emotional”.
“People have a preconception about children like Jake and he’s blown that out the water,” he said.
“The day he was born we were told he would have no muscle tone, he would never do any sport and he’d be dead at 35.
“Here he is 21 years later, he can ride a motorbike, he can shoot a gun, he can fight Lee Selby.
“I hope he inspires more people.”
Jake said he wanted to open his own boxing gym with Lee Selby in future and share his love of the sport with others.
“It keeps me motivated, happy. I love it,” he said.
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