British boxing is not short of stars, some of the brightest stars around in fact, in both professional and amateur arenas.
Now, there is a chance for us in the North-East to view the stars of tomorrow.
Newcastle’s Grainger Park ABC will stage the junior international between England and Ireland on Saturday.
It will act as a springboard for the European Junior Championships in Romania at the end of May.
Alas, there is no Tyne, Tees & Wear boxers in action in the international but there is some exceptional talent for the North-East boxing public to enjoy watching.
It is a feather in the cap for Grainger Park ABC, a club which performs incredible work with young people, and boasts a certain Joe Laws as one of its products.
If your punch-lines writer has used his fingers and toes correctly, there are 17 international bouts (listed below) plus three support contests, including appearances from Macy Gallone (Spennymoor) and Barnard Castle’s Charlotte Burns.
There is local interest in the corner in the shape of four England Talent Pathway coaches from the TTW neck of the woods – Laura Sergeant, John Stubbs, Russell Turnbull and Nigel Wright.
It’s an honour for all, of course, but it’s particularly, special moment for Wright a brilliant champion in the amateur and professional games.
An ABA champ and Commonwealth Games medallist in his vest and headboard, he was unbeaten as an English champ in the pros and a British and Commonwealth title challenger.
The 39-year-old is now back at Sheldon ABC and has been coaching there three years, with eldest daughter, Mia, looks a chip off the old block.
“It’s my first international so I’m buzzing,” Wright told punch-lines. “I’ve been helping out with the England team for about a year but got officially took on at the beginning of this year.
“I’ve done loads of camps but this is my first tournament and with John, Laura, and Russell there too so it’s very good for the Tyne, Tees & Wear association.”
Admission is only £15 (that’s under a quid per bout), with Grainger Park’s arena situation on Denton Road, Scotswood, Newcastle, just a short jab from the A1. Doors open just before noon Saturday.
England v Ireland line-up:
U46 kilo: Frank Varey v Dylan Eagleson; Shelby-Marie Lee v Breda Quilligan.
U48 kilo: Blu Bowers v Michael Donoghue; Alex Brown v Robyn Kelly.
U50 kilo: Mohammed Ali v Jason Nevin; Charan Dhesi v Chloe Gabriel.
U52 kilo: Cameron Lavery v Donagh Keary.
U54 kilo: Royston Barney-Smith v Mustafa Edris; Mia Holland v Aaliyah Butler.
U57 kilo: Ellis Price v Martin McCullough; Sacha Hickey v Nicole O’Sullivan.
U60 kilo: Jake Abrol v Patrick Donovan.
U63 kilo: Jimmy Lee v Thomas King; Katie Grover v Winnie McDonagh.
U70 kilo: Prince Dubois v Eoghan Lavin.
U80 kilo: Leoni Dingwall v Brittany Stokes.
Over 80 kilo: Aloys Youmbi v Thomas McDonnell.
Words: Roy Kelly
