TEENAGE wrestler Paul MacGuffie is preparing to get to grips with the cream of the world's talent.

The 17-year-old, who has been tipped for stardom since he won the British Under-13s title at the age of eight, competes in the World Junior Freestyle Championships in Moscow later this month.

A member of Bolton Wrestling Club since he was six years old, the Hindley Green youngster has realistic hopes of returning with honours from the two-day tournament which begins on August 14. Paul, who has represented Great Britain in the World Cadet Championships for the last two years, is part of a five-man British team and already has six British titles and eight English titles to his name.

Paul is the fourth generation of wrestlers in his family, the most famous being his great uncle Walter MacGuffie who was British champion five times and took part in the 1948 Olympic Games.

His great, great grandfather Tommy MacGuffie was one of the first members of Bolton Wrestling Club at the time when freestyle wrestling was still developing and his father Ron also wrestled at the Bolton club and now helps coaching the club's youngsters.

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