BOYS STRIKE GOLD ON BIG TRIP TO DENMARK
Three Wearmouth Boxing Club fighters are celebrating winning gold medals in Denmark.
The Box Cup event saw Adam Reichard use his full repertoire of skills to overcome the stylish John Connor Lee (Hoddeston) in a terrific 52kg final.
It was a sweet victory for Reichard in a rematch of last December’s Boys Clubs Championship final.
Ex-Repton boxer Lee is a three-time national champion, who had only lost once in 20 bouts prior to this contest.
Wearmouth’s Billy Hope was in superb form to ensure he scooped the gold in the 37kg final, keeping Norwegian boxer Frederik Silden at bay throughout their contest, demonstrating the art of hitting but not being hit.
Leon Harris also delivered a stellar performance to ensure that he left Denmark with a gold medal.
In the 54kg final, he came up against the more experienced Harley Moran (St John’s ABC), but claimed a unanimous points win.
This followed on from another solid display the day before in securing a unanimous points victory against Yaqub Hussein, from Denmark.
Beau Smith came away from his 57kg final with a silver medal after losing to local Danish boxer Nasip Gazier.
After a difficult opening round, Smith came to life and seemed to heavily outscore a retreating Gazier in the last two rounds, only for the local lad to receive a shock, and very questionable, points verdict.
Lewis Wharton came up against a quality home-town boxer, George Sabbagh, in his semi-final, with the Dane getting the nod.
Wharton will now look to learn from his international experience and will be looking to follow on from a good win he chalked up against Ryan Appleby (Hartlepool Catholic Club) the previous weekend in Seaton Carew.
Coach Anth Kelly said: “It was great to see so many of our fighters get recognition. They outstripped expectations.
“They dedicated their lives to the sport and got all they deserved. But for a home decision, we’d have won four golds.”
Meanwhile, Wearmouth’s Brad Crone faces Thomas Musker in the national development 44kg semis in Croxteth on Saturday.