MARCUS Williams is a world champion after winning the Junior Thai Kickboxing title in his age and weight category in Spain.

Representing Great Britain the Bolton boy had an anxious wait before being awarded the title following a change of decision in the final.

Marcus, who lives in Heaton and is in Year 7 at Bolton School, beat an older and heavier Spanish fighter in the final of the 11-13 years/46-50k at the World Championships in Benidorm.

At just 11 years old he was at the younger end of the age group and in the full contact fight over five rounds he fought well and injured his opponent in the first round with leg kicks.

Technically, the judges should have given the Spanish fighter a count of eight when he initially asked for medical assistance.

However, the referee allowed him to continue and the Spanish fighter was awarded the victory by a split decision after close later rounds.

An appeal was lodged and after the video had been studied, the judges awarded Marcus a 10-8 points win for the first round which swung the decision his way.

Marcus has been training for four years and fights out of the Kearsley Club which now has two world champions.

He trains two to three times a week on average which increases to four or five times ahead of a fight.

Typically having four to five fights a year he has had a busy recent spell in the ring with five fights in a month.