Donnington on guard for development round
Donnington Boxing Club hosted the first round of the England Development Championships, which were staged without head-guards for the first time.
A massive re-brand of the unpaid code saw the ABA re-named England Boxing at the start of the year, to comply with International Boxing Association rules.
New regulations state that fighters aged 18 or above must ditch the head-guards, first taking effect when the ABA senior tournament took place as the Elite championships.
It was Tristan Davies' fight factory that witnessed the dawn of a new age, the show being staged at Donnington Sports & Social Club on Sunday, writes Craig Birch.
The West Midlands, which also comprises of West Mercia, competed for places in the next divisional round, as did Birmingham and Warwickshire.
Split into two sections, Class A was for boxers who have had two to 10 fights, while Class B covered fighters from 11 to 20 bouts. There were four two minute rounds, rather than three three's.
There was no championship contests for the West Midlands in Class A until the home club's Daniel Bent, also a trainer, stepped through the ropes at 69kg.
Ryan Phillips, from Lions in Dudley, had walked over with no opponent to box at 56kg, as did Hereford's Niall Penson at 60kg, but there were four entrants at the higher weight.
Bent pushed Callum Bricknell close before losing on a split decision, while Warley's Mundeep Kumar was beaten unanimously on points by Ian Boulton.
That sets up a too close for comfort clash between Bricknell and Boulton, both from Wolverhampton Boxing Club, for a place in the Midlands semi-finals.
Tamworth's Niall Hatton was set to face Andrew Reid, from Priory Park in Dudley, at 75kg but his opponent pulled out through illness.
Great Wyrley's Ryan Mansell is through at 81kg after a unanimous win over another Priory Park fighter, Joshua Miller. Walsall Wood's Truy Hall walked over at 91kg.
In the super heavyweight division (over 91kg), last year's national semi-finalist Lloyd Ransome was the last man standing for the next round.
The punching physiotherapist from Rugeley Police unanimously overcame Tamworth's Rafal Zmarzly, who had beaten Warley's Soloman Dacres by the same verdict in a box-off on Friday.
Ludlow's James Key went through, with no opponent to box, in the 60kg category section of Class B.
Club-mate Chris Preece came in the fresher at 69kg against Rugeley's Steve Smith, who produced a double unanimous success for the weekend after rolling over Lions' Andrew Slater in a box-off.
Two non-championship bouts saw Donnington fighters showcase their talents. Macauley Owen saw off Pleck's James Beech, an Elite semi-finalist earlier this year, at 58kg.
Bradley Thompson piled the pressure on Jagbir Mann, from Amphion ABC in Darlaston, at 32kg and handed his adversary a standing eight count on his way to victory.
The Development competition continues for the West Midlands at the St Anne's Parish Centre in Digbeth, Birmingham, this Sunday.
