A Beddington-born professional boxer who saw a viral video appearing to show a 15-year-old Syrian refugee being attacked wants to offer him ringside seats at his next fight.

The footage shows the boy, known as Jamal, being dragged to the ground before he has water poured over his face as the alleged assailant said: “I’ll drown you”.

Widespread outrage led to police saying the 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will be charged with assault before an online appeal raised more than £130,000 in 24 hours.

Jamal told ITV News in an interview that he did not feel safe at school and was left traumatised by the alleged attack.

Now flyweight Charlie Edwards wants the refugee to see him fight for a world title against WBC champion Cristofer Rosales at the O2 Arena in Greenwich next month.

Charlie Edwards (left) during a boxing match

 

The 25-year-old says he can relate to the video because of his past experiences but hopes the gesture will help Jamal.

He said: “I was sitting in bed and when I saw it on my Twitter news feed, I felt physically sick. I went all quiet, my missus walked in, and she said 'What's wrong with you?'

“I just said I watched something on Twitter and it's made me really feel proper ill. It's made me feel really angry.

“It made me feel angry, horrible, sick, and seeing what happened to that boy it really pulled on my heartstrings.”

Neither Jamal nor his unnamed sister, who was allegedly attacked, attend Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, anymore according to his family.

Edwards says he was bullied by his peers because he was “short and fat”, while comments were constantly made about his nose.

Despite being on the “lesser end” of it, being constantly called names, he could “only imagine what that boy was feeling”.

He added: “I don't know the ins and outs of the story, I can only see what I'm seeing on the social media side of things, the actual footage, but it pulled on my heartstrings.”

The flyweight will face Nicaraguan Rosales on the Dillian Whyte-Dereck Chisora undercard on December 22, but has not yet heard back from Jamal or those representing him.