National Ambitions for trio of fight prospects

Jones, from Lions ABC in Dudley and this year's junior ABA champion, comfortably saw off Keelan Jackson at Hinckley United's De Montfort Park.

The two clashed in the first national stages, as West Midlands champions met their East Midlands counterparts for a place in the next round.

Jones was in action at 60kg in Class B, for boxers born in 1996 at 60kg and dominated from the off against Jackson, from Phoenix ABC in Nottingham.

His feet came alive as he danced in and out of range while waiting for the opportunity to pick his own shots, scoring regularly with the judges.

All five awarded Jones the bout on points and some were in equal opinion he was the best Black Country combatant in action on the day.

Club-mate Zachariah Edge had the towel threw in on him by his corner, after coming under fire from European bronze medallist Rueben Arrowsmith.

Edge had made it to the third and last round at 66kg in Class B and kept on ploughing forward, but stiff shots forced a standing eight count and trainer John Shakespeare's hand.

Lions' Irslan Hussain pushed Chesterfield's Ryan Turner a close second during their 60kg battle in Class C, for fighters born in 1994 and 1995.

Hussain lost a majority decision, three judges to two, after three close-run sessions and looked for the big punches where possible.

Priory Park's Aaron Adams bowed out at 57kg in Class A, for entrants born in 1994 and 1995, on a majority points decision against St Ives' Bradley Smith.

Pleck's Etheridge is preparing for the national quarter-finals at 54kg in Class C, after receiving a bye past the pre-quarter finals.

But Pleck's other West Midlands champions Zohaib Hanif and Ryan Burrows, failed to make it past the first national stage after defeats put them out of action.

The towel was threw in on Hanif in the second round of his battle with Sullivan Rickett, from Benny's Boxing Club in Nottinghamshire, after severe pressure.

They clashed at 70kg in Class A and Hanif was out on his feet from a stiff right uppercut in the second, forcing his corner to intervene.

Burrows' bout came at 63.5kg in Class C with the talented Callum Blockley, from Earl Shilton ABC in Nottinghamshire, and what appeared to be ring inactivity told.

Blockley's work was sharp as a tack while Burrows was often one step behind with his actions but he went the distance, losing unanimously on points with the five judges.

Jack Wood has become the sole hope for Wednesbury at 57kg in Class C after Kyle Shirley was eliminated, having also received a bye past the pre-quarter finals.

He was paired with Christopher Walker, from the Terry Allen Unique club in Lincoln, only for his opponent to pull out of the contest and clear his passage through.

But Shirley, the club's other West Midlands champion in the competition, struggled with the formidable Ben Fail.

The two clashed at 63kg in Class A and Shirley was pinned back by the long jab of 6ft 3in Fail, from Far Cotton ABC in Northampton.

Shirley experienced more success when he got behind the jab but was Fail was equally adept at working in close, scoring a majority decision points victory.

Faluk Hussain, from Windmill ABC in Smethwick, was put out of the tournament by Shepshed ABC's Benn Norman at 48kg in Class B.

Wolverhampton ABC's Carnell Brown was beaten by Swadlincote's Zach Parker after a bye past the regional final in Class C at 75kg.