National ABA Junior Championships

OXFORD Boxing Academy suffered a triple blow when their three fighters all lost out in the semi-finals at Haslemere.

Yaser Afzal (Class 4 52kg) plus brothers Declan (Class 4 63kg) and Bradley Townsend (Class 5 60kg) were all beaten on a tough day for the club.

Afzhal was 7-2 up after his first round against favourite Billy Polkingholme (Southend ABC), but Polkingholme changed to ‘score and run’ tactics after that.

This worked and he was the eventual winner.

The large number of contests taking place meant two rings were used and the Townsends were drawn to fight at the same time.

Head coach Faz Keyani protested and a concession meant Bradley could fight just before Declan, but neither could receive Keyani’s full attention.

Keyani said: “The illogical arrangement of these bouts unsettled both boxers and they both performed below par.”

Bradley lost to last year’s champion Ted Cheesman (Fisher ABC), while Declan fell to Unnice Chaima (Finchley ABC), whom he had recently beaten at the Kassam Stadium.

Declan, having watched his brother lose and not having Keyani warming him up nor by his side leading to his entrance into the ring, could not get into rhythm.

  • BEN Kaluza, Oxford Boxing Academy’s top welterweight, will have GB trials at the end of the month.