• London Olympics 2012

This is my time - Yafai

Khalid Yafai faces Andrew Selby for Olympic qualification © Getty Images

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• News: Selby one win away from London 2012
  

After suffering disappointment in Beijing, Birmingham boxer Khalid Yafai believes he is in a good place to beat friend and rival Andrew Selby in their clash on Friday which will decide who will go to next year's Olympic Games.

In the first of three bouts to decide who will represent Great Britain, Yafai is confident he can beat fellow flyweight Selby at York Hall in London.

"I've known him for four or five years," Yafai told the Daily Telegraph. "We've done everything together. It's strange, but I'm sure I'll be alright. The Olympics, especially a home Olympics, is massive. I didn't achieve what I wanted in Beijing, everyone knows that. But this is my time."

Selby, however, has been on form this year after claiming European gold and world silver following his defeat to Russian Misha Aloyan - which meant losing out to automatic qualification by just a point.

Yafai admitted: "It was hard to watch. I would never want any of my team-mates to get beaten, but on this occasion, I'll be honest, I did want him to get beat."

Despite training together at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield for years, the pair has been separated in the lead up to the bouts, with the second being held at the same venue and the decider, if necessary, at the ExCel Arena in a fortnight.

"We both know the situation, so we've been kept away from each other," Selby said. "We don't really speak now."

Only enabling one fighter to qualify has been the result of the separation of the four home nations running simultaneously with Great Britain, who will compete at the Games. The good news for Britain, at least, is that after struggling to produce one Olympic hopeful over the years, it now has two.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.