Boxers from around the country descend on Banbury for major competition

Tobi Lawal from Finchley beating Mark Ahondjo of Leicester Unity to secure the gold medal in the senior super-heavyweight division.

Amateur boxers from 75 clubs spread around the country competed at the at the National Development Championships held at Banbury’s Spiceball Leisure Centre last weekend (October 22-23).

The England Boxing National Development Championships is one of the biggest events in the amateur boxing calendar and saw non-stop action in three rings on both Saturday and Sunday, with hundreds in attendance.

Boxers must first qualify for the championships in regional match-ups before competing in the semi-finals on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.

The most successful club at the competition was Southern Counties’ Kent Gloves, based in Gillingham, who notched a hat-trick of victories thanks to juniors Rylan Dance and Harvey Griffiths and senior Joshua Antonio.

Hundreds gathered at Banbury's Spiceball leisure centre to take in the amateur boxing over the weekend.

It was Kent Gloves’ Joshua Antonio who defeated local boxer Jordan Welch-Hayes from Bicester in a decision win on the Saturday of the championships before going on to win the final in the male under 92kg category the following day.

England Boxing chief executive officer, Jerome Pels, said: “It was a fantastic weekend of boxing, with Saturday’s semi-finals one of the biggest days of competition we have ever put on, with more than 140 bouts taking place.

“For things to run so smoothly, it has taken a tremendous team effort from all those involved in the organisation and delivery of the event, and I would like to thank the officials and medical team, volunteers and staff for making it happen.

"I would like to pay tribute to the boxers themselves, as well as their coaches and family and friends, many of whom came along to watch from the stands.

“There was a terrific atmosphere in the arena, helped by a high level of sportsmanship and respect among those competing.

“Judging on the standards seen across the weekend, the future of England Boxing is very bright and I’m sure that there will continue to be a number of boxers go on to win titles at open class level, just as has been the case in the past.”