Shropshire Star

Two join the final line-up in the Juniors

Shropshire will be represented in the England Junior Championship national final - but fighters could face a lengthy wait to box their deciders.

Published

A stormy week for the competition almost saw the tournament cancelled completely amid 'threats to life,'

writes Craig Birch.

A finals weekend was due to see champions crowned at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth last Saturday and Sunday.

The two-day event would have consisted of a semi-final and a final 24 hours later, but the police stepped in concerned about public safety after receiving intelligence.

Governing body England Boxing struck a compromise, so that the Midlands and their northern counterparts could contest the semi-finals on Sunday.

The Home and Western Counties have yet to even complete their quarter-finals, though, due to the problems on the South Coast. London can't join them in the semis until it's resolved.

Shropshire fighters stepped through the ropes at Birtley Boys Boxing Club in Gateshead, a late switch of venue from the Havercroft Sports and Youth Centre in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Two divisions are separated by age in the juniors, one encompassing 2000-2001 born entrants and another solely for 2001.

Donnington Boxing Club's Bradley Thompson and Telford's Simran Kaur, representing Merridale in Wolverhampton, won on the day to go through.

Thompson featured at 42kg in the 2001 only 'cadet' class, relying on guile to secure his place in a second straight national final, after stepping up from the Schools competition for this year.

He outsmarted Tom Bennett, from Kirkdale in Liverpool, with the judges in no doubt after the three rounds. His hand was raised unanimously on points.

But there would be no passage through for Shropshire cohort Raheem Mohammed, who bowed out at 48kg (2001).

Mohammed, from Wellington but again with Merridale, was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision against Darlington's WIlliam Ward.

Kaur entered the fray at 48kg in the 2000-01 girls section and is on course to add a second national title to last year's Schools accolade.

She extended her undefeated record to eight bouts with a unanimous victory over Scunthorpe Imps' Demi Cox.

Club-mate Kara Murray, also of Telford and Merridale, has a chance to claim her first national title. Byes get her a straight final at 60kg against Elisha Mannouch, from Swale Gloves in Kent.

Bridie O'Keefe, from Salopian in Shrewsbury, also walked over at 63kg after Phoebe Hodson's withdrawal whittled the field down to three.

She's likely to arrange a box-off with Scunthorpe's Gemma Richardson after she defeated Brodie Stephenson, from Carlisle Villa, by TKO at Birtley.

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