Four members of North-East boxing’s army of amateur talent are ready to fight at the event dubbed the Battle of Britain.
Georgia O’Connor, Jade Pearce, Hannah Robinson and Jim Tyers have won places at the 2019 GB Boxing Championships in Sheffield.
The quartet will be in action at the English Institute of Sport on Thursday, December 5. (doors open at 6.45pm with the boxing beginning at 7.30pm).
It is a big night for GB boxing where pride is not just at stake – it is a platform for the boxers to show they have what it takes to wear the Team GB vest at a future Olympic Games.
GB Boxing’s Performance Director, Rob McCracken said: “The GB Boxing Championships is an important tournament in the development of young boxers.
“It helps the coaches and performance staff at GB Boxing to evaluate up-and-coming talents and assess whether they have the potential to challenge our existing number one boxers and ultimately make it to an Olympic Games in the future.
“Winning the GB Championship has been a key part of the Olympic pathway for a lot of successful boxers.
“Previous winners include most of the male and female boxers that are likely to represent Team GB at Tokyo 2020 along with names like Anthony Joshua, Luke Campbell and Nicola Adams, who all progressed from success at the GB Boxing Championships to winning gold at the Olympic Games.”
There are 12 bouts on the night, featuring a GB Boxing selection against opponents representing England and Wales in a ‘Battle of Britain’.
Any home nation boxer who defeats a member of the GB Boxing squad secures the opportunity of an assessment to join the Olympic programme as a funded athlete.
That will be incentive for Middlesbrough boxer Pearce and Tyers, from East Durham ABC, who represent England against the Team GB representatives, Raven Chapman and Ramtin Musah.
Pearce, who boxes out of the Wellington club, reached the England National Championship semis earlier this year, as did Tyers (pictured) who had the misfortune to come up against North-East neighbour, Mark Dickinson who went on to take the title against Musah.
Birtley’s O’Connor, who won silver at the England National Championship, has been matched with Jem Campbell who won gold at another weight at the same competition.
Robinson, another Birtley star, was all-conquering in 2018 but missed out in the ‘ABAs’ this year, losing to Kirsty Hill in the last four and she will be keen to avenge that defeat and cement her position as the UK’s number one.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins/ East Durham Life
