LITTLE belter, Joe Murray, has been picked by England for the European Junior Championships in Liverpool next month.

And the 17-year-old light- flyweight has also been tipped to emulate Bolton's Amir Khan to qualify for the next Olympics.

That is a measure of his progress over the last 12 months with Middleton's Boarshaw ABC.

Like Khan, who is the same age, Murray won a gold medal in the International Junior Olympics in Louisiana last year. Then last season he went to Germany with Young England and won both his contests before clinching a Junior ABA national title in Huddersfield in May.

Now he's been given the chance to test his skills against the top Under 19s 48kgs boxers in Europe.

The Liverpool event will take place from September 21-28 and will involve more than 151 boxers from 15 countries.

Boarshaw club leader Ben Lancaster said: "I am delighted that Joe's progress has been rewarded.

"The way he has improved in the last 12 months is incredible and I can honestly see him being at the next Olympics.

"At the moment I reckon he is the third best amateur light-flyweight in the country and he is not 18 until January, which means he can't do the senior ABA's until 2006.

"In my opinion though, only 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Darran Langley and Wigan's double ABA champion Craig Lyon, are above him in the rankings and there's not much in it.

"In fact, when Joe went to Germany he beat one boxer 23-17 - the same margin of victory Lyon recorded against the same opponent."

Murray, younger brother of Manchester professional John, is attending an England squad training camp in Salford this weekend with another schedule in Sheffield next month prior to the European event.

And he will be boxing in a new black and silver kit this season, courtesy of Lancaster.

"I promised Joe I would buy it him if he won the Junior ABAs," explained the coach.

Meanwhile, Murray's Boarshaw clubmate, British schoolboy champion Ronnie Heffron, has been picked for two early season England junior inter- nationals, in Wales and at home to Ireland in October. Tweet