Trio pick up ABA Schoolboy area titles

A hat-trick of local amateur fighters were today preparing for the national stages of the ABA Schoolboys competition as the dust settled on the Midlands finals.

Pleck ABC's James Beech and Liam Gould, from William Perry ABC in Tipton, join Aston ABC's George Battonbough, who bested Walsall Wood ABC'S Joseph Jenkins, in the next stage on Sunday.

But William Perry ABC's Harry Hughes, Pleck ABC's Jack Adams and Wednesbury ABC's Declan Millward bowed out at the last regional hurdle at the Liberal Club in Bedworth at the weekend.

In Class One - boxers born in 1999 – a West Midlands derby at 38kg would decide who would advance between Jenkins and Battonbough.

Jenkins was level after two rounds with the scores at 1-1 and 5-5 after the respective bells but ran out of steam in the last session, allowing Battonbough to take the decision in a 14-11 points call.

Hughes also fell in Class One at 42kg, up against Kings Heath ABC's Ben Vaughan. Hughes took a standing count in round three and the referee would not allow him to continue, waving the fight off.

In Class Two – boxers born in 1998 – Gould came from behind to take two of the three rounds at 48kg against Joshua Pope, from the Birmingham Irish ABC.

Trailing by a point, 5-4, after the opening session, Gould turned it round to lead 9-8 after round two and made the final score 18-13 at the final bell.

But Adams was another victim of a stoppage in Class Two, this time in the second round, coming off second best as the referee acted with Nuneaton ABC's Patrick Dunne declared the victor at 57kg.

In Class Three – boxers born in 1997 –Millward saw his revenge mission fail against Capitol ABC's Levi Chandler at 44kg.

Chandler beat Millward on a club show last year and had the measure of his opponent again, coming on strong after a 1-0 first round to win 5-0 in round two and then 8-3 at the final bell.

Then came Beech, with one of the performances of the day to see off Khizer Ali, of Birmingham City ABC.

The two West Midlands rivals contested the area final at 48kg over the longest fight duration of the day.

But, after their Sunday showdown over three, two minute rounds, it was Beech who had his hand raised after a gruelling contest.