ORANGE boxer Sam Ah-See is just one step away from making the Australian team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in India after winning at the NSW eliminations on Tuesday night.

Ah-See blew aside Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder Abe Archibald at Souths Juniors to earn the right to compete against other state winners in the 64kg division at a knockout tournament in Melbourne on July 26.

The winner of this tournament will then go on and represent Australia against the rest of the Commonwealth in India in October.

Mobsport head trainer Jake Kenney thinks Ah-See has a definite shot at securing the solitary berth following an impressive performance against Archibald and after overcoming pneumonia earlier in the year.

“It’s not an easy task but we’re not shying away from it,” Kenney said.

“If we had a preparation like we had for the Australian titles I’d say he’d go in as favourite.”

Kenney believes Ah-See is in great shape at the moment as he is starting to excel at training after taking some time to get back into full work following the illness in March.

He convincingly beat Archibald and even impressed professional Billy Dib, who was on hand to see the bout.

Dib approached Ah-See after the fight and requested the Orange teenager come back to Sydney and spar with him ahead of his bout on July 30 with South African Zolani Morali for the vacant IBO Super Featherweight title.

Ah-See fronted up at Dib’s training Wednesday morning and sparred the professional and will now return to Sydney for more sessions with Dib in the lead-up to the July 26 tournament.

“He’s done really well. Billy has asked him to come back,” Kenney said of his young amateur southpaw.

This will give Ah-See a great preparation for the knockout tournament and will also provide him with valuable experience against a higher calibre of boxer.