Reece is national champ!

Sabden's Reece Farnhill was crowned England Boxing Development 69kg National champion at the weekend.
Englands number one Reece Farnhill shows off his gold medal after winning the welterweight title in Grantham at the weekendEnglands number one Reece Farnhill shows off his gold medal after winning the welterweight title in Grantham at the weekend
Englands number one Reece Farnhill shows off his gold medal after winning the welterweight title in Grantham at the weekend

The 18-year-old, fighting out of Burnley’s Sandygate Amateur Boxing Club, as North West and North of England welterweight champion, took on Southern Counties and South of England champion, Kent’s Danny Barret of St Mary’s ABC – six years his senior – at Grantham Mere’s Leisure Centre.

With Farnhill the talk of the tournament, against a boxer coming off a 10-bout unbeaten run, it was billed as the bout not to be missed.

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In the opening round, southpaw Barret showed his gameplan, moving in close to try and tie up Farnhill and work the inside.

Unable to land clean, Farnhill adjusted his footwork and started to land his jab, rear hand left hook combinations, ending the round with a lovely rear hand upper-cut, jab double.

In the second three minutes, Barret was handed a official warning and a point deduction for persistent holding, but with the constant barrage and phases of attack from the Sandygate pugilist, it was no surprise, consistently working off a strong lead, the points increased.

In the third and final round, Farnhill was up out of his stool well before the bell, eager to resume scoring with a lovely left hook frequently.

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And, to a standing ovation for both boxers, the man-in-the-middle ended the contest, with both boys anxiously awaiting the judges’ ringside verdicts.

And it was to be, yet again, another unanimous victory for the exciting Sandygate senior.

“Reece is the club’s sixth National champion and he deserves all the plaudits he receives, as he works so hard in and out of the gym,” stated his jubilant Sandygate ABC coach Andy Howcroft.