A FANTASTIC evening of boxing in Motherwell on Saturday saw 15 boxers crowned 2021/22 Boxing Scotland Elite champion.
In what was the first Elite Finals to be held for three years, 11 boxers received an Elite Championship belt for the first time, while there were four returning champions at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility.
Renfrewshire’s Robert McNulty also picked up the prestigious Richard Thomas Memorial Trophy after becoming 80kg Light-Heavyweight champion.
The 19-year-old, who also won the Western District title earlier this season, beat Alex Arthur Jr of AAA Boxing Club in what was an extremely close contest and probably the bout of the night.
Both boxers were taking part in their first Elite Final, and 20-year-old Alex should also take a lot of credit for his performance, both in the Final and earlier in the tournament.
Robert was one of a number of former Junior and Youth National champions who claimed the Elite title in what was their first opportunity at senior level.
Jonsey’s Colin Cairney, a 2018 Junior champion, won this season’s Elite Light-Welterweight Final by defeating skilful southpaw Charlie Doig of St Francis Boxing Club.
In another incredibly close contest, the final bout of the evening was initially scored a draw by the judges, before the judges were prompted to vote for a winner, with the contest going to the 20-year-old Cairney on a 4-1 split decision.
Fellow 20-year-old Peter Paton of Argo Boxing Club won the Elite Featherweight title by defeating Peter Oswald of Glasgow Boxing Academy by unanimous decision, to add to his 2018 Junior and 2019 Youth titles.
Meanwhile, Harry McGrenra of Rob Roy Boxing Club now has a clean sweep of School, Junior, Youth and Elite titles after the southpaw overcame Ross McAllister of Byron Boxing Club in the Light-Middleweight Final.
Elgin Boxing Club’s Megan Gordon, also a former Junior and Youth champion, beat Doonhamers Frances Heath to win the Light-Flyweight title in the evening’s opening contest, soon followed by club mate Arran Devine who beat Renfrewshire’s Olivier Kasusula in the Middleweight Final.
Megan was the first of five female champions on Saturday evening, with Glasgow Boxing Academy’s Klara Honey Vizma (Middleweight) and Barrhead’s Caitlin Greaves (Lightweight) also winning an Elite title for the first time, by defeating Antonine’s Caitlin Kelly and Granite City’s Shelley MacDonald respectively.
Additionally, Stephanie Kernachan (Falkirk Phoenix) and Gardner Moore (Lochend) both became six-time Elite champions after unanimous decision victories.
Stephanie defeated Maggie White of Broxburn in the Bantamweight final, while Gardner Moore was Welterweight champion after beating Shannon Lawson of Barrhead in a repeat of their 2017 Elite final.
While Stephanie and Gardner became six-time champs, two others became two-weight Elite champions – as returning 2019 Flyweight champion Steven Ferguson (North Glasgow) had a little bit too much experience for Beath’s 18-year-old Conor Hynd in the Bantamweight Final, while Braveheart’s Connal McDonald beat Ayman Amish of Granite City to add a Super-Heavyweight belt to his 2017 Elite Heavyweight championship.
Elsewhere, Lochend boxer Ronald Devlin not only became Elite champion fir the first time, but the very first Scottish Cruiserweight champion in history, with the division only being introduced on January 1st of this year, as he beat Robert Muir of AAA Boxing Club by unanimous decision.
Lochend just missed out on a hat-trick of titles, as Welterweight Aurel Szilagyi lost a razor thin 3-2 split decision to Irvine Vineburgh’s Matthew McDonald, who became his club’s first Elite champion.
The evening closed out with another extremely close 3-2 split decision, as Newarthill’s Dylan Arbuckle finally overcame Northwest’s Kieran McMaster, having lost the pair’s two previous meetings, to win the Elite Lightweight belt in the evening’s penultimate contest.
For those who did not get a chance to see the action, or who want to watch it again, a replay can be found on the Boxing Scotland YouTube channel ‘Boxing Scotland Official, hosted by JATV’s Jamie O’Neill and with special guest punditry from Lee McGregor, Sam Hickey, Joe Ham and former three-weight World Champion Ricky Burns – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD_ajzk53hc
It was a fantastic evening and Boxing Scotland would like to thank all of the boxers who competed, as well as of the coaches, officials, volunteers and spectators for making the long wait for an Elite Championship Finals well worth it.
Boxing Scotland 2021/22 Elite Championship Finals Results;
Female 50kg Light Flyweight – Megan Gordon, Elgin beat Frances Heath, Doonhamers by Unanimous decision.
Male 57kg Featherweight – Peter Paton, Argo beat Peter Oswald, Glasgow Boxing Academy by Unanimous decision.
Female 54kg Bantamweight – Stephanie Kernachan, Falkirk Phoenix beat Maggie White, Broxburn by Unanimous decision.
Male 75kg Middleweight – Arran Devine, Elgin beat – Olivier Kasusula, Renfrewshire by Unanimous decision.
Female 66kg Welterweight – Gardner Moore, Lochend beat Shannon Lawson, Barrhead by Unanimous decision.
Male 71kg Light-Middleweight – Harry McGrenra, Rob Roy beat Ross McAllister, Byron by Unanimous decision.
Female 75kg Middleweight – Klara Honey Vizma, Glasgow Boxing Academy beat Caitlin Kelly, Antonine by 4-1 Split decision.
Male 86kg Cruiserweight – Ronald Devlin, Lochend beat Robert Muir, AAA by Unanimous decision.
Female 60kg Lightweight – Caitlin Greaves, Barrhead beat v Shelley MacDonald, Granite City by 3-2 Split decision.
Male 54kg Bantamweight – Steven Ferguson, North Glasgow beat Conor Hynd, Beath by 4-1 Split decision.
Male 92+kg Super-Heavyweight – Connal McDonald, Bravehearts beat Ayman Amish, Granite City by Unanimous decision.
Male 67kg Welterweight – Matthew McDonald, Irvine Vineburgh beat Aurel Szilagyi, Lochend by 3-2 Split decision.
Male 80kg Light-Heavyweight – Robert McNulty, Renfrewshire beat Alex Arthur, AAA by Unanimous decision.
Male 60kg Lightweight – Dylan Arbuckle, Newarthill beat Kieran McMaster, North West by 3-2 Split Decision.
Male 63.5kg Light-Welterweight – Colin Cairney, Jonsey’s beat Charlie Doig, St Francis by 4-1 Split decision following bout initially being scored a draw.
The Richard Thomas Memorial Trophy for Best Boxer of the Tournament – Robert McNulty, Renfrewshire, Elite 80kg Light-Heavyweight Champion
