WILMSLOW has a new world champion!

Raza Naqvi achieved a Thai boxing gold medal at the WTKA Unified World Championships in Italy.

The 11-year-old added a silver, too, for Great Britain in K1 boxing.

Both came in the under 34kg category of the 11-12 years of the biggest amateur martial arts event on earth, with more than 5,000 competitors across 86 countries taking part.

For Raza, in his first year of studies at Wilmslow High School, the success in Carrara caps a stunning opening two years in the sport.

“He’s very dedicated and gets all of his enjoyment from this sport,” said his father Asar, 42, a business development manager for an IT company.

The young fighter already has an extensive fight record and is continually seeking to learn and improve.

“Raza has competed with some of the best the UK has to offer with some of them being for British titles,” said Asar.

“He will be looking to progress further going into 2018.”

Raza has been training since he was nine years old, the past year under multiple world Muay Thai champion Panicos Yusuf and Bilal Remassy Omoboye at All Powers Gym in Stockport.

Asar said he has seen changes in his son in this time, as have his teachers at Wilmslow High and at his former school Wilmslow Grange Primary.

“He is an extremely dedicated and talented student in the art of (Muay) Thai Boxing as well as academically,” said Asar.

“It has made a vast difference to him. It has helped shape him into not just a fighter but also to acquire discipline, respect, fitness and well being among other things.

“He’s quite strict on himself with what he does and receives support from us as his parents and from his school too.

“He trains a couple of hours each day and I’ve noticed how his focus has increased since he started, not just in his sport but in his education too on the back of it.”

Raza recently received a Cheshire Elite award in recognition of his record of achievement.