The thaw came just in time for England who travelled to Coatbridge in force on Saturday and after the day’s boxing came away with 9 victories to Scotland’s 6. There was plenty of talent on show from both sides with three fights decided by a single point. Lewis Hay got Scotland off to a winning start in an explosive opening bout and did just enough to see off a strong challenge from Bethnal Green’s Jimmy Smith. At 36kg the diminutive Davie Burrell looked impressive against England’s Scott Rankin but Rankin’s edged the contest by a single point. Aiden Gough got Scotland back to winning ways in the third bout at 48kg having recovered from an early landing on the canvas in round one. England’s Cory Fenwick was too strong for Aidan McGlynn in at 50kg and at 2-2 it looked like both sides would be trading the lead throughout the day. Convincing wins from Daniel Breeze and Jake James changed that as a England’s experience began to show.
It took local hero Mark ‘Sparky’ McKeown to change all that as the Coatbridge boxer put in a commanding performance to out box Alfie Price with a succession of left hooks that left Price on the back foot from the opening seconds of round one. McKeown took the fight 12-3. Just as it looked like the tide might be turning England won three contests on the bounce. Two of those were close contests and Mark Parvin from Kier Hardie was unlucky to lose to Connor Loftus after a the judges scored the bout a tie and the count-back went in favour of Loftus. In one of the contests of the day 56kg Bantamweight Kevin Skey from Lochend ABC stepped up and continued his winning streak against John Saunders who had a clear height advantage but left himself open by throwing some wild punches in the second. Skey took the invitation to pick Saunders off and ran out a worthy winner 6-3.
At 64kg Hugh Gray from Glasgow Phoenix came up against much tougher opposition in the form of Darren Tetley who caught him with a vicious left hook in the first. Gray took a few more of these and despite surviving an eight count lacked the firepower to really trouble Tetley. Springhill boxer Kieran Smith edged a close contest at 69kg against Wayne Graham but England got back to winning ways at Lightweight with Olympic hopeful Shafiq Asif putting in one of England’s best performances and delighting his own supporters who travelled from Middleborough to cheer him on.
In the final bout Glasgow’s Martin Harkins made sure Scotland had final word as he landed a heavy back hand on Tom Knight sending him for an eight count in the second. Harkins kept up the pressure in the third and closed off the fight with some killer jabs winning 7-4. In all it was an encouraging first international for a young Scotland selection who will build on the invaluable experience against a high quality English side.
Keith Walters, ABAE Chairman commented on the exceptional standard of boxing on the day and was very complimentary of everyone involved in the running of the event.
Scotland get to do it all again next Saturday as they take on a Swedish selection of youth, junior and schoolboy fighters. The Swedes, an unknown quantity in world boxing will doubtless be looking to draw on their Viking ancestry to liven the Home International Series. Scotland v Sweden, December 18th, The Time Capsule Coatbridge, Doors open 12noon. Tickets £10 Adults, £5 children available on the door or via an ABS affliated club.
Listings Info:
Scotland v Sweden Bring Back Boxing Home International
When: Saturday 18th December, Doors open 12noon
Where: Time Capsule, Coatbridge
Tickets: Adults £10, Children & Senior Citizens £5. Tickets available through cash sales on the day only
For all media enquiries including image and interview requests please contact Owen O’Leary on 07815 992658 or at owen@ohreally.co.uk
For further info visit www.amateurboxingscotland.co.uk or connect on facebook @ Amateur Boxing Scotland and Twitter at www.twitter.com/bringbackboxing
Notes to Editors
1. Full Home International dates are:
Scotland v England 11th Dec 2010
Scotland v Sweden 18th Dec 2010
Scotland v Wales 15th Jan 2011
Scotland v Northern Ireland 22nd Jan 2011
2. Full Results Scotland V England
Schoolboys/Juniors
97-48kg – JIMMY SMITH (ENG) V LEWIS HAY (SCO) Hay wins 10-7
96-36KG SCOTT RANKIN (ENG) V DAVID BURRELL (SCO) Rankin wins
48KG BILLY BEER (ENG) V AIDEN GOUGH (SCO) Gough wins 9-7
50KG CORY FENWICK (ENG) V AIDEN McGLYNN (SCO) Fenwick wins 3-1
66KG DANIEL BREEZE (ENG) VJOHN GREIR (SCO) Breeze wins 8-2
57KG JAKE JAMES (ENG) V WILLIAM MOWAT (SCO) James wins 5-0
57KG ALFIE PRICE (ENG) V MARK McKEOWN (SCO) McKeown wins 12-3
57KG JOSH KELLY (ENG) V ROBBIE McKECHNIE (SCO) Kelly wins 6-4
66KG CONNOR LOFTUS (ENG) V MARK PAVIN (SCO) Loftus wins 7-6
Youths
93-52KG JACK DANIEL (ENG) V MICHEAL McGURK (SCO) Daniel wins 5-1
56KG JOHN SAUNDERS (ENG) V KEVIN SKEY (SCO) – on weight this bout 1kg allowance with all others?Skey wins 6-3
64KG DARREN TETLEY (ENG) V HUGH GRAY (SCO GB Champion) Tetley wins 24-3
69KG WAYNE INGRAM (ENG) V KEIRAN SMITH (SCO)Smith wins 4-3
60KG SHAFIQ ASIF (ENG) V MICHEAL JAMIESON (SCO) Asif wins 24-7
64KG TOM KNIGHT (ENG) V MARTIN HARKINS (SCO) Harkins wins 7-4
3. Amateur Boxing Scotland are the national body for promotion and development of amateur boxing within the country and beyond.
Our aim is to build the popularity of the sport and increase awareness of boxing on a local, regional and national level. We are looking to promote the positive nature of boxing which includes the social aspects, health and fitness and competitive nature which we hope will ultimately produce more boxers and more success at championship events.
A Development Commission is in place to oversee this and focuses on increasing investment and improving the structure of development to allow more boxers to progress to an international standard with a particular emphasis being placed on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
