Boxing has another pair of brothers from Co Durham making their way in the sport.
The McCormacks, Luke and Pat, are currently at the top of their game as the Washington twins and their GB podium squad comrades gear up for an Olympic year.
But another pair of siblings have moved along very nicely in 2019 and will be relishing tackling this new year – Joe and Jim Tyers.
The Tyers bros both enjoyed terrific runs in the National Amateur Championship (the ABAs in ‘old money’), while both threw a ton of leather at the GB Boxing Championships in Sheffield.
Non-stop aggression was the key phrase for the two Tyers at the English Institute of Sport, though the results were contrasting.
Joe won on all the judges scorecards at lightweight against Subaan Ahmed, while Jim lost at middleweight to the excellent Ramtin Musah, who was one of the stars of the annual December spectacular.
A late addition to the event, Joe took two early body shots which suggested a tricky evening ahead but that proved not to be the case as the Darlington ABC star (pictured) dominated the remaining eight and a half minutes of the bout.
The National Amateur Championship silver medalist picked his shots superbly to take the first and carried that into the second where he set a great tempo Ahmed could not stay with as he chased a hat-trick of wins against his rival.
Subaan started round three well with the last turning into a war with Ahmed given a standing eight count seconds before the final bell.
A unanimous verdict was inevitable and so it proved.
“It’s the third time I’ve boxed Subaan,” Tyers told punch-lines. “I knew what he’d do.
“I was happy with my performance.”
Big brother Jim tackled Musah at 75 kilos and this was a good bout to watch.
And credit must go to the East Durham ABC star who never stopped going forward.
He was relentless in his pursuit of his Beartown ABC opponent who used his talent to great effect, boxing superbly on the back foot.
At no point did Tyers ever look dispirited – far from it as he produced a good final round when he put Ramtin under pressure and scored well to boot.
Both Tyers have heart and ambition and it’s a name to watch in 2020 and over the next few years.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Andy Chubb
