PANTER HUNTING
Ellis Panter is gunning for glory in Youth champs, writes Matt Bozeat
ELLIS PANTER is rolling the dice in the Youth championships, which get underway this month.
The 2019 European Schoolboy champion from Burton Park ABC in Northants has bypassed the Cadet category and jumped up an age group to compete in the Open class at 67kgs.
The move up also means Panter will compete over three-minute rounds for the first time.
Burton Park coach – and Panter’s uncle – Wayne Sharp explained: “Ellis only turned 16 last November and he could be up against lads who were born in January, 2004. So he could be giving away nearly two years.
“I felt he needed motivating. He has beaten everyone in his age group and I feel he is up to the test.
“Ellis has grown mentally and physically. He has really filled out and I’ve got the response I wanted from him in the gym.
“I’ve definitely seen a change in his attitude. He has really stepped it up because he knows he has to. He will have to win three fights over three-minute rounds in three days and he’s never done that before.”
Panter has grown since he won the European title at 50kgs in Georgia, winning four bouts in six days.
He reached the Junior semi-finals at 60kgs in 2020 before Covid-19 led to the championship being scrapped, and looked strong at 66kgs when winning the Junior title in Hereford last October, adding to the Minors and Schools titles he previously won.
In the Junior final, Panter unanimously outpointed Westree southpaw Tyrone Cross, beaten only once in 19 previous bouts.
“Ellis can read opponents,” said Sharp of a boxer who’s won 26 of 28 bouts and is unbeaten since a points loss in the semi-finals of the Great Britain championship in June, 2019.
“He’s been in the gym since he was five and that’s why he’s so good at reading fights.”
There’s footage of Panter hitting the pads with his uncle when he was four years old and Sharp joked: “That is how Ellis learned how to count, by me shouting: ‘One-two’ at him!”