CONTEH’S REVENGE
In the other, all-islington semi, long-limbed Darren Ballinger edged past Mo Gharib on a split.
Nemesis have two in the finals at Harrow Leisure Centre (Thursday March 30, start 7pm). A big second round helped Louie Lynn beat
Troy Smart (Islington) in the only 56kgs prelim, while up at 64, Elliott Whale used his smooth southpaw skills to see off both his opponents.
Lynn now faces Prince Brady
(West Ham), while Whale meets Lion’s Louis Isaacs, who made a stunning return after two years out by first outslugging Fatjon Gola
(Fairbairn) and then dispatching
Mohammed Yaqoubi (West Ham) with one left hook to the body in the opening round.
West Ham talent Viddal Riley
was a schoolboy champion at 54kgs back in 2011, but he’s now a solid 91kgs and in the London final thanks to a unanimous win over
Jacob Peterson (Repton), who showed guts to reach the final bell, although well outpunched.
Double Jab’s Courtney Bennett
impressed at super-heavyweight, outpointing Edmonton Eagles southpaw Gideon Antwi in the lone quarter-final at the weight, then landing some hefty blows on Jonathan Palata (Miguels) in the semis. The Antwi decision was split, Palata unanimous.
Big-hitting Martin Foru (All Stars) put two counts on Olalunke Alausa in the first round of their light-heavyweight semi, but the Double Jab boxer grittily hung in there until the final bell, where Foru won unanimously. Getting a bye into the final was Luke Saunders
(Dagenham).
RESULTS
49: No entries. 52: NATHAN BROWN (Hooks) w/o. 56: Semi-final: LOUIE LYNN (Nemesis) outpd Troy Smart (Islington) unan. 60: Quarter-finals: JACK BROOKER (Northolt) outpd Jerome Campbell (Islington) unan, MO GHARIB (Islington) outpd Youssef Khoumari (IQ) split, DARREN BALLINGER (Islington) outpd Billy Beer (Repton) split.
Semi-finals: BROOKER outpd Dennis Wahome (IQ) unan, BALLINGER outpd Gharib split.
64: Quarter-finals: ELLIOTT WHALE (Nemesis) outpd Alex Zendra (Hammersmith) unan, LOUIS ISAACS (Lion) outpd Fatjon Gola (Fairbairn) unan. Semi-finals: WHALE outpd Vasile Nedelcu (IQ) unan, ISAACS ko’d Mohammed Yaqoubi (West Ham) 1st. 69: First series: INDER BASI (Islington) w/o Krishan Singh (Lion) withdrew illness, YASSER AL GHENA (Islington) outpd Ross Boyle (Fisher) split. Quarter-finals: JONATHAN FRANCOIS (West Ham) outpd Basi split, LAMIN CONTEH (Islington) outpd Romario Wallace (Repton) split, AL GHENA outpd Alex Aninivi (IQ) split, MYLES COUSINS (West Ham) outpd Mateusz Stepien (IQ) split. Semi-finals: CONTEH outpd Francois unan, COUSINS outpd Al Ghena unan. 75: First series: JAMAL AKAY (All Stars) outpd Robbie Chapman (IQ) unan, CONOR HINDS (Double Jab) outpd Ryan Pickard (Repton) split.
Quarter-finals: AKAY outpd Mitchell Frearson (Dagenham) unan, KELVIN FAWAZ (Stonebridge) outpd Kiev-del Dyer (Haringey) unan, HINDS outpd Adam Middleton (Nemesis) unan, WILLIAM WEBBER (Lion) outpd Chris Onwegbusi (Islington) split. Semi-finals: FAWAZ stpd Akay 2nd, WEBBER outpd Hinds unan. 81: Semi-final: MARTIN FORU (All Stars) outpd Olakunle Alausa (Double Jab) unan. 86: JAMES BRANCH (Repton) w/o. 91:
Semi-finals: VIDDAL RILEY (West Ham) outpd Jacob Peterson (Repton) unan, BEN VICKERS (Miguels) outpd Ifeanyi Ndidi (Miguels) split.
91&: Quarter-final: COURTNEY BENNETT (Double Jab) outpd Gideon Antwi (Edmonton Eagles) split.
Semi-finals: BENNETT outpd Jonathan Palata (Miguels) unan, JEAMIE TSHIKEVA (White Hart Lane) outpd Taran Willett (Westside) unan. NB: 69/75 semis were at West Ham on March 26; all other bouts happened at Tottenham on March 23/24.