Unfinished business for Benjamin Whittaker

The 17-year-old, who represents Steve O'Rourke's Wodensborough Boxing Club, will make the short journey across the West Midlands to Shropshire on Sunday.

Donnington's Sports & Social Club hosts an area round for the second of three weeks running, with Whittaker walking over the West Midlands phase with no opponent.

And the talented teenager, a 2013 star in the now-defunct National Ambition tournament, will feel he has unfinished business with the Youth competition, writes Craig Birch.

Whittaker lost on points to seven-time national champion Jimmy Smith in last year's national final at 69kg, stepping up to 75kg for his challenge in 2015.

He will take on Birmingham entrant Marvin Campbell, from Bartley Green, in the Midlands semi-final, with Jack Bettany and Charlie Annetts the other entrants at the weight.

The winner of Whittaker-Campbell meets either Bettany, from Hulton Abbey in Stoke-on-Trent, or Annetts, of Bell Green in Coventry, in the area final at the same venue the following Sunday.

Mohammed Hussain, of Lions in Dudley, is also in action this weekend for his 49kg semi-final against Stoke Staffs' Tom Stokes, with the victor coming back to box the Second City's Niall Farrell.

There was heartbreak for Wednesbury duo Connor Baker and Kyle Shirley in Donnington last Saturday, along with literally a sickener for Pattingham's George Vernon in the box-offs on Sunday.

Pleck's James Beech also suffered Saturday disappointment, losing on points through a bloody split decision against Donnington's home fighter Macauley Owen at 60kg.

Baker was defeated unanimously by Tamworth's Oliver Cassidy, his first 64kg rival, but club-mate Shirley ran Worcester City's Grant Attwood to a split decision at 69kg.

An under-the-weather Vernon, representing Richie Carter's Golden Gloves, laboured but still unanimously saw off Droitwich's Luke Evans at 56kg on Saturday's bill.

Such was the effects of the 16-year-old's virus that he vomited in the corner after the final bell, an illness that didn't clear up in 24 hours.

He still reported to the Irish Centre in Digbeth, Birmingham, on Sunday but was pulled out by his corner before he could box Tamworth's Lewis Pritchard.

Carter said: "George wanted to fight but we couldn't let him, he's game as anything but was white as a ghost after we got there and weighed in.

"He got through on Saturday, but he just seemed to get worse. It's a real shame, as he's been on a good run and I really fancied him this year."

Attwood, who is facing four contests to become area champion, nudged past Pleck's Zohaib Hanif on a spilt decision in Sunday's West Midlands decider.

Megan Ellis, from Right Stuff in Stafford, has yet to box at 69kg in the female side of the competition.