Schools out with Donnington the hosts

Donnington Boxing Club have staged the opening regional round for three out of the four England Boxing tournaments this year, writes Craig Birch.

Three divisions are separated by age in the Schools ranging from the 'minors' (fighters born 2004), Class A (2003) and Class B (2002). Bouts are over three, one-and-a-half minute rounds.

A total of 14 bouts got things underway at the Telford district's Sports & Social Club on Turreff Avenue, with some box-offs needed the following day.

The only 'minors' bout on the day came at 38.5kg, where Donnington's own Jenson Bagnall progressed with a unanimous points win.

He saw off Pleck's Hamza Ali and will next tackle Lewis Lawton, from Impact in Stoke-on-Trent, in the West Midlands final.

Class A's first clash came at 34kg where Wednesbury's Brindley Smith defeated Connor Jones, from Priory Park in Dudley, unanimously.

Tamworth's Morgan Brayton was the next to progress unanimously, scoring the decision over Walsall Wood's Amman Khan at 35.5kg.

Wood were again downed at 37kg with Kyle Chumber, from Merridale in Wolverhampton, coming out on top unanimously against Kane Reynolds.

Haaver Tazeem kept the run going for Merridale at 39.5kg, rolling over Great Wyrley's Luke Palmer by a unanimous decision.

Three fights took place at a packed 40kg, with Tamworth's Simon Doherty seeing off Mitchell Debbard, from Rectory in Sutton Coldfield, on a split decision.

That was a quarter-final, as was the contest between Donnington's Will Price and Merridale's Arman Aziz. Price was downed unanimously.

The last 40kg offering was a semi-final affair between Wednesbury's Rio Edwards and Priory Park's Nick Manton, which the latter took on a split.

Donnington's Billy Chard sat out the day's boxing on a bye at 43kg and will meet Eoin Quinn, from Coventry's Christ the King, in the area final.

Class B began at 37kg where Tamworth's Kyle Berwick vanquished Harry Conlan, from Brooklands in Dudley, unanimously.

Donnington's Brayden Davies, youngest son of the gym's head coach Tristan, walked over with a bye at 41.5kg.

Davies will tackle either one or both out of McKenzie Pollock, from Bell Green in Coventry, or Jake Melvin, of Hall Green in Birmingham, after the next draw is made.

Club-mate Finley Davies was another who couldn't make home comforts count. He lost to Haider Hanif, from Pleck in Walsall, on a split at 43kg.

But Aaron Wall, from the Len Woodhall Community Club in Madeley, kept the Shropshire interest going at 50kg. He nudged past Wednesbury's Bradley Smith on a split.

Wall had to go again the following day, too, in a box-off at the Irish Centre in Birmingham. Again, he won on a split, this time against Pleck's Spencer Hurst.

Two more outings completed the action at Donnington. Gulraj Power, from Richie Carter's Golden Gloves in Wolverhampton, beat Wednesbury's Reece Collett on a split at 52kg.

The swansong provided delighted for the home audience, too, as Donnington's Amir Abbas scored a unanimous success over Michael O'Toole, from William Perry in Tipton.

Abbas will now vie for West Midlands honours with Atherstone's George Bance, with Donnington now aiming to get a hat-trick of members through to the national stages.

The Schools now takes a back seat as the England Elite Championships reaches its climax in Liverpool over the next two weekends.

The West Midlands finals will take place on Sunday May 8, with the Newdigate Social Club in Bedworth picked as the next venue.