Anthony Ibekwe prevailed in a super-heavyweight war to win gold at the Riviera Box Cup.
William John McCarton, from the Gilford club in Ireland, stormed out to set a furious pace in their 92&kgs final in Torbay. But the Finchley ABC super-heavy lashed in a heavy combination to counter the Irishman when his shots fell short.
Ibekwe worked well with his back hand, landing a fine right uppercut off a right hook. Even though McCarton clipped him with a right hook himself, Ibekwe finished the opening round with a smile.
By the end of the second, the Londoner was breathing heavily and taking on water, but he was sustaining his own efforts in good fashion to keep McCarton at bay.
In the final round, Ibekwe’s left hook connected and fierce headshots forced McCarton onto the backfoot as the Finchley boxer took a good unanimous decision victory and the super-heavyweight gold medal.
Barton Hill’s Giedale Stewart is another super-heavyweight worth watching. He impressed with quality boxing in the Novice category, stopping Johnmara Aburamoia in the final. Stewart shook up the Chadwell St Mary boxer with a heavy cross, before another clean right saw a second count administered and finished the bout in the second round.
Ibekwe has his hand raised in victory
Henry Murray, of Wolverhampton, watched Blackbird Leys’ middleweight Jamal Franklin halt his twin brother Charles Murray, immediately before boxing his own final. Still he took on Bideford’s Dylan Burston an exciting light-heavyweight clash. Murray sent thunderous crosses through but Burston exchanged with him and a strong finish saw the Bideford boxer edge him out on a close but unanimous decision.
Lord Mountbatten’s Hannah Jeffrey took control of her flyweight final with Blue Flames’ Charlie Miller, grinding her down in the third round and lining up a clear right. Miller was forced to hold and saw out the contest with Jeffrey winning a unanimous decision.
Magic Hatton’s Faye McCormick couldn’t repeat her Manchester Box Cup success as Ella Doe, from CNC Christchurch, seized a split-decision victory and the 54kg gold medal.
Both Blackbird Ley’s Morris James and JABxing’s Dre Patterson impressed with stoppage wins. James was unrelenting against Barum’s Ollie Lee with thumping shots forcing a third round in finish their 75kg final. Patterson may be a novice 67kg but fought with eye-catching style, pouncing on Stevenage’s Oliver Culling as he lashed in punches, winning inside the third round after handing Culling three standing counts.
Host club featherweight Neo Judge, named after Keanu Reeves’ character in The Matrix films, marauded forward with always entertaining aggression. His hard combinations harried The Ring’s Khurram Ali Shan, who kept on the move but could not ward off the energetic Torbay boxer. Judge took a unanimous decision and 57kg gold.
Thurrock’s Harry Burke is a classy southpaw who fired his solid left cross into the mark against Liam Huntley in their 71kg final. The Wolves Den boxer did land firm punches of his own, especially in the second round. But Burke’s quality shone through with further flush lefts hitting home. They finished trading blows in ring centre with Burke a good unanimous victor.
