Magnificent seven for Merseyside & Cheshire ABA as region breaks records at national finals

With eight boxers in elite national finals at the weekend, the most of any region, hopes were high that Merseyside & Cheshire could add to their long and proud list of ABA senior champions and the boxing hotbed didn’t disappoint when no fewer than seven of them triumphed in Derby.

After a relatively – by its own standards - quiet period when few of its rising stars made the finals let alone won them, the region looked back to its best last year when Kurt Wiggins (Salisbury), Callum Makin and Stephen Clarke (both Rotunda) all tasted national glory. This year however, they surpassed not only that level but also the success they had in the early-1980s when the likes of John Lyon (Lowe House), Keith Wallace, George and Ray Gilbody (all St Helens Star), Tony and Kenny Willis (both Rotunda), Jimmy Price (Holy Name) and John Hyland (St Ambrose) were regularly crowned national champions. Indeed, their seven victories at the Derby Arena last month even eclipsed the 2000s when not a year went by when a Merseyside & Cheshire champion – and often one, two or even three more - went on to lift the national title.

Whilst all performed well it was Croxteth’s Oliver Jones who won the coveted Mickey May Memorial Award for boxer of the tournament (25 finals) with a fantastic performance from start to finish in his 63.5kg final victory over Harvey Orriss (Heart of Portsmouth).

Peter McGrail eyes Ja’Rico O’Quinn rematch or British title shot after returning to winning ways

Andrew Cain eyes British title shot after returning with devastating knockout victory

Elsewhere, the region’s four other male winners were No Limits’ Lucas Dube at 51kg, Kai Birch (JCs) at 54kg – the title Wiggins won last year, hard-hitting Lucas Biswana (Everton Red