SOLIHULL Olympic gold medalist Galal Yafai has been made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to boxing.
The 29-year-old, who lives in Shirley, won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the flyweight division.
Reacting to his latest success, he said: “I’m really looking forward to receiving the MBE.
“The past year or so has been really good for me, being champion and everything, so receiving an honour like this is absolutely fantastic.”
Galal is the youngest of a trio of successful boxing brothers.
Brother Kal Yafai held the WBA super flyweight title from 2016 to 2020 while Gamal was the European super-bantamweight champion.
Galal previously worked at Jaguar Land Rover in Solihull and thought boxing success has passed him by after he came home from the 2016 Olympics in Rio empty handed.
Now he says he is on the cusp on turning professional.
“I’m just waiting to sign my contract and hopefully that will all be settled in the next two weeks or so,” he said.
“My ambition is to be flyweight world champion.
“There’s not many Olympic champions who have gone on to be world champion and I’m coming from a really good background.
“I’m a fresh 29-year-old, mature, who’s not really had that many hard fights as an amateur, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Galal won his gold medal when he defeated Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in the final.
