Billy continues family’s Love for the fight game
A Black Country Boxing club is celebrating sibling success after brother and sister were both crowned national champions.
Billy Love, aged 12, won a cadet schoolboys title earlier this month to follow in the footsteps of older sister Mary, who became a national champion for the second time earlier in the season.
The pair, from Darlaston, both train at Priory Park gym in Dudley.
Head coach Warren Davies said: “It is the first time we’ve had a brother and sister both win national titles.
“We’ve had brothers do it before. That is more common but brother and sister is quite rare. The fact it has happened in the same season makes it all the more special.”
Mary, aged 16 and a former national junior champion, was the first to claim silverware when she won the NABGC title at 63kgs last November, overpowering Islington’s Vivien Rooney in the final.
Billy followed it up with success in the schools tournament earlier this month, emerging as Midlands champion at 46kgs and then coming through three further bouts, the final two of which were held over the same weekend in Newcastle.
That included an excellent semi-final triumph over Islington’s much-fancied Cassian Campbell via unanimous decision, before he stopped Droyldon’s Charlie Knight in the first round of the final.
“They were really strong performances in each round of the championships,” said Davies. “Mary is also powerful and stopped her opponent in the second round of the NABGC final.
“She has been with us for around three years now, while Billy is only just starting out and has been boxing for around 18 months."
Davies continued: "I think having a brother and sister winning national titles in the same year shows the strength now shows the strength of female boxing.
“There are a lot more girls in the gym. Often it is the bigger brothers bringing their younger sisters along, though in this case it is the other way round!
“When you go into any competition with the girls now, there are a lot more entries. There is far more strength in depth now in the sport, which is great.
“This is the first time we have had brother and sister win national titles but I doubt it will be the last.”
