Young asylum seeker's dream to box for Ireland

Mujeeb Rahman, 18, fled war-torn Afghanistan when he was just 13 and now lives in Derry

A young asylum seeker who fled war-torn Afghanistan when he was just 13 has said his dream is to fight for his country - in the boxing ring.

Mujeeb Rahman's life in 2019 - a year when more than 3,400 civilians were killed in the central Asian country - was a far cry from the one he currently enjoys in his adopted home of Londonderry.

But the 18-year-old only made it there after an epic journey of almost 4,000 miles through Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia.

He then travelled on through Italy, Switzerland and France before finally arriving in Dublin and then crossing the border into Northern Ireland.

Mujeeb's dream is to fight for Ireland one day

Derry is now the place he calls home, and where he is seen as a role model in his local boxing gym.

"Here is my country. I know the people and I've got many people here and I'm so happy here," he said.

"I think about my support and Ireland has helped me a lot, so I have to play and fight for Ireland."

Mujeeb believes if he had stayed in Afghanistan - which the Taliban now rules with an iron fist - his life would have been in danger.

In the year he fled, Amnesty International described it as "the deadliest conflict in the world for children".

But the teenager feels safe in his home-from-home - and said he can never see himself returning to his native country.

Family members still live there but he has lost contact with them.

'Be strong'

And while Mujeeb hates the fighting that has torn his native country apart, the teenager has come to love fighting in the ring.

He was encouraged to join Springtown Boxing Club in Derry 18 months ago - and has not looked back.

Already, he has racked up three wins out of three - the latest in the County Derry championships held in Swatragh.

His love for the sport came from boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.

The teenager knows that it takes grit and determination to become a prize fighter on the international stage.

So, he trains every hour he can - believing that the physical and mental aspects of training go hand-in-glove.

"I think Min and Jack, my coaches, are so nice to me and so friendly," he said.

They always support me; they always tell me to be strong."

'Inspirational'

Shoulder to shoulder - Mujeeb and coaches Min McCann (left) and Jack Devine (right)

Head coach Min McCann said Mujeeb has come a long way in his time at the club - and is now seen as a role model by other young members.

He said that was important for a club which first opened 16 years ago in response to a number of suicides in a socially-deprived area.

"This club was recommended to him as a safe place to be," he said, mindful of the teenager's difficult childhood.

"It came highly recommend to him because of that safe refuge and a place of safety and security, and equality and diversity and that was very important to us as a club."

Fellow coach Jack Devine described Mujeeb's progress - both as a young man and as a boxer - as inspirational.

"He couldn't really speak English at the start so he was very quiet and was on the bags on his own but now he has become a role model for the younger members of the boxing club.

"For somebody to come in as an outsider and be able to connect as a leader in the club, it's just incredible."

Mujeeb continues to enjoy his new life in Northern Ireland, but never forgets other less fortunate young people who have not managed to escape war and conflict.

"I think for refugee people, you know they just leave their country because of war and fighting," he said.

"So I just hope the world will help them and look after them because they see a lot of scary things, so they just leave the country to find a good life."