Express & Star

Six of the best go national in the Juniors

Six of the best will take part in the first national stage of the England Junior Championships after being crowned West Midlands titlists.

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The pre quarter-finals will see all of them again step through the ropes across the Midlands at the Newdigate Social Club in Bedworth,

writes Craig Birch.

The second national tournament on the unpaid calendar for 2016 continues with two divisions separated by age, one encompassing 2000-2001 born entrants and another solely for 2001.

Sunday's line-up was decided after the area finals last weekend, with Shropshire having staged all three regional rounds.

Donnington were again the hosts at the Telford district's Sports & Social Club on Turreff Avenue with 18 bouts this time.

The action began in the 2001 only 'cadet' class, where James Mongan gunned for glory on his Junior debut.

Mongan, a former Schools national champion from Priory Park in Dudley, eased past against 46kg rival Steven Dowling, from Hall Green in Birmingham, by unanimous points decision.

He now tackles Jack Murphy, from Bedbury & Stockport, with a place in the last eight on the line over three rounds.

The confident Raheem Mohammed, representing Merridale in Wolverhampton, prevailed with a bang from his clash at 48kg.

He scored a second round stoppage against Anthony Wilson, from O'Dells in Birmingham, and will now engage in battle with Bury's Shamraiz Nadin.

Lewis Morris, of Richie Carter's Golden Gloves gym in Wolverhampton, bowed out on a split decision to Stoke Staffs' Lewis Proffitt at 50kg.

Wednesbury's Jevan Johal went the same way as Morris at 52kg against Josh Finch, from Clearys in Leamington Spa.

Wodensborough's Shaun Rutherford (right) tries on his West Midlands champion vest with his dad Martin.

Rugeley Police's Myles Basford had already gone through at 54kg, by courtesy of a second round TKO over Muin Khan, from Merridale in Wolverhampton, the previous weekend.

Johal's club-mate Mohammed Ali was eliminated at 46kg in the 2000-01 category when he was defeated unanimously by Ryan Dixon, from Exhall in Coventry.

Warley's Owen Brown scored his second win in the competition at 50kg, after previously seeing off Wellington Boxing Academy's Hamza Hussain on a points split decision.

Brown saw off Coventry Boys' Zunid Patel on another split and now progresses to take on William Birchall, from Sharpstyle in Blackpool.

Walsall Wood's Hamzah Ahmed got past the Second City's Ellis Truman unanimously at 57kg and now faces Leigh's Harry Winnard.

Wodensborough's Shaun Rutherford takes his resilience into a 70kg battle with Connor Tudsbury, from Moss Side Fire in Manchester.

Rutherford first came from behind on the cards to dump out Worcester City's George Butler on a split. This time, his victory over Stratford's Jordan Lee was unanimous.

Merridale's Conna Hincks, the reigning England Junior Development champion, was vanquished as Brandon Pinnock exacted his revenge at 66kg.

'The Bradley Bullet' - from Bilston - beat him in the National Association of Girls & Boys Clubs tournament last season. Pinnock, from Christ the King in Coventry, won unanimously here.

In the girls section, Merridale cohorts Simran Kaur and Kara Murray are already through to finals weekend next month.

The semi-finals and final will be staged by the Heart of Portsmouth outfit on the South Coast, over two days on the weekend commencing April 2.

Both have yet to take part in the tournament, but are still involved in the 2000-01 section. Former Schools champion Kaur will come into the reckoning at a five-pronged 48kg.

Murray has been handed a great opportunity to claim her first national title. She boxes a straight final at 60kg against the well-schooled Elisha Mannouch, from Swale Gloves in Kent.

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