Aqeel excited to be off to Australia with Team Scotland

Flynn and Josh Taylor after he was named in Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.

The 25-year-old, born in Dundee to a family of Pakistani origin and now living in Motherwell, also hopes to inspire Asian youngsters to get into sport as he goes into his second Games after Glasgow 2014.

Ahmed was a team mate of Flynn and Taylor three and a half years ago when they both won Commonwealth gold medals to propel them on to professional careers.

And the man who will be fighting in the 49kg class in Gold Coast believes he has come on leaps and bounds since he failed to medal in 2014 – and this could be his time.

“In Glasgow, I was a little jealous of Charlie and Josh, not in a bad way but in the sense of the gold, that’s what I wanted,” he said.

“The Commonwealth Games, other than the Olympics, is one of the most broadcasted bills you can fight on so I really hope to do well this time.

“I stayed amateur because I wanted another go at the Games. I felt like the last time I went, I was up against a good opponent but I should have been amongst the medals.

“I feel like I didn’t have the mindset that I needed to be a medal contender – I was just happy to be there, but for this one I know that I belong there and that I should be medalling, that’s my target.

“I’m expecting gold. I think they’ll [Team Scotland hierarchy] probably have me as one of the favourites to medal for the team.

“I feel a bit of pressure, but I’ll just wait and see what the draw’s like when that comes out and I’ll be ready for anything.”