Losing effort in area final of ABA Schoolboys

The Walsall Wood ABC fighter won his 'box off' on Saturday to progress to a 46kg area decider against Birmingham City ABC's Hakeem Ali Hussain.

But a fresh Ali Hussain was too much to handle in Class Two - for boxers born in 1999 - but Tuck still earned plaudits for his performance in defeat.

The Shelfield Community Academy pupil, 14, first had to overcome Daniel Stacey, from Queensberry Police ABC in Stoke, unanimously on points.

After Saturday's win he was back at the Donnington Sports & Social Club in Shropshire yesterday and punched his heart out for a second bout in a row.

His work lacked the accuracy of his previous fight and that cost the short and stocky 'pocket rocket' the title, again unanimously on points, as he bowed out.

Club-mates Rory Layton and Morgan Chaplin didn't make it past Saturday's first hurdle, but Layton gave Zak Davis a few frights on the way to his exit.

European champion Davis, from Hall Green ABC in Birmingham, eventually took a majority decision at 38kg in Class Three, for boxers born in 1998.

Chaplin was equally up against it and never recovered from a slow start facing Usman Ali, from Eastside ABC in Birmingham, in Class Two at 36kg.

He lost unanimously on points and the same fate befell Frankie Fallows, from Essington Golden Gloves ABC, in Class Three at 60kg on Saturday.

Fallows is the first fighter to represent the club in competition boxing in its 10-month existence but lost to Aston ABC's Daniel O'Sullivan.

And Pleck ABC's Brandon Humphage was retired in the first round of his Class Two 50kg battle after his corner threw in the towel during the fight.

Damien Blackburn was also halted in the last round by a telling blow yesterday against Adam Smith, from Capitol ABC in Coventry.

The Wednesbury ABC fighter took a shot bang on the sternum which took all of the wind out of him and he failed to recover in time to avoid the stoppage.

The 60kg contest took place in Class One - for boxers born in 2000 - and Blackburn had fared well in the first two rounds until the fight-ending punch.

With the scores close, Blackburn tried to pile the pressure on and his attempts to come forward left him open to a body shot, but he stayed on his feet.

The referee pulled him out for his own safety and handed Blackburn, 12, his first defeat in his fourth fight as an amateur, but his first in the competition.

The Willenhall Comprehensive student had received byes through to the area title decider but gave it a good go, in what had previously been a tight contest.

The Sandwell area will still be represented by club-mate Jack Bennett and Liam Gould, of William Perry ABC in Tipton, when the national stages begin.

Both 'walked over' - no opponent to box - at 57kg with Bennett in Class Two, for boxers born in 1999, and Gould in Class Three, for fighters born in 1998.

Also through to the next phase without fighting is Wolverhampton ABC's Mohammed Alfayid in Class Three at 70kg.

Alfayid was due to fight Lewis Williams, from Cleary's ABC in Leamington Spa, but his opponent pulled out through illness.