BOXER Lewis Adams has come a long way in a short amount of time in the ring.

The 18-year-old Basildon student only took up boxing less than a year ago but is now three rounds away from lifting a national title.

Adams goes head to head with former professional boxer Takaki Yamagishi in the under-60kg category in the British University Championships later this month.

“Lewis started boxing about nine months ago to keep fit,” said dad, Richard Adams.

“He just said he wanted to box and he has gone from the training side of things to going for a medal.

“Lewis beat last year’s champion in the semi-finals and that has given him a lot of confidence for the final.”

Adams has won all four of his fights so far and his latest victory came with a 20-19 points win in the three-round semi-final bout against Portsmouth’s Josh Baldwin.

Richard said it was a “remarkable win” against the 2011 champion but was down to his son training five days a week in the gym.

However, Adams is facing a seasoned competitor in the final at the University of Sheffield on Saturday, March 24.

Yamagishi spent seven years as a pro fighting in his native Japan and won the British Universities title in 2010 before losing in the 2011 final to Baldwin.

Adams went to Basildon’s De La Salle school and took A-levels at Southend College.

He is currently studying quantity surveying at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford.

The teenage pugilist is following the family tradition as his dad and four uncles boxed when they were younger in Colchester, winning 14 national finals between them.

Adams currently trains with his dad’s old coach at Harwich Boxing Club once a week, and at the Euro Fitness gym in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, the rest of the time.