Sileby Boxing Academy schoolboy Callum Heagney is heading in the right direction after two quick outings.He beat Epic Golden Gloves' Sonny Steele on a split decision at Leicester Unity's show and was on the wrong end of a split verdict a week later when he was pipped by Clifton ABC's Lee Millns.Initially against the tall, rangy Steele, Heagney found it tough to slip inside, although he found more success in the second round.The third saw Heagney moving forward, switching shots from body to...
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Boxing: Sileby's Callum Heagney is going places
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Father steps into boxing ring for charity after his sick twins...
Father-of-four Stuart Tay stepped into the boxing ring for charity after his sick twin children were treated well in hospital.The 36-year-old was one of more than 60 amateur boxers fighting to raise money for the LCFC Foundation.Stuart, a quality manager at an asbestos removal firm, said: "For years I felt as if I had to do something to help pay back the Leicester Royal Infirmary for its brilliant care."When our twins Rivern and Rio were born seven years ago they both needed special...
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Boxing: Louis Norman to fight Andrew Selby for British flyweight...
Louis '2 Sweet' Norman has got a shot at the vacant British flyweight championship.The 22-year-old from Shepshed meets Andrew Selby in Cardiff on Saturday, May 14. Channel Five will televise the fight live.Norman is sure to start the 12-round contest as the underdog.Selby steps up to fight for the Lonsdale belt in just his fifth professional fight, but as an amateur, he was ranked No.1 in the world and, according to big brother Lee, the IBF featherweight champion, he will go on to...
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Boxing: Tim Witherspoon to open new King's Boxing Gym in...
Heavyweight hero 'Terrible' Tim Witherspoon is opening a new boxing gym in Leicester today.The former world champion, from America, will be snipping the ribbon to officially open the King's Boxing Gym on Percy Road at 10am.Ex-amateur boxer Rhuri Kane has set up what he describes as "a community gym" – and the city's newest amateur boxing club will be based there.City of Leicester ABC has recently registered with England Boxing, and Kane hopes they will have boxers...
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Boxing: Reuben Arrowsmith confident ahead of fight against Chris...
Reuben Arrowsmith takes the next step in his promising professional career this weekend.The Ricky Hatton-trained talent meets Chris Jenkinson in Northampton on Saturday night.For the first time, Arrowsmith is matched over six rounds.The Market Harborough light-middleweight has yet to lose a round in compiling a 4-0 record at four-round level, and that has convinced Hatton he is ready to step up a level at The Deco.Jenkinson is a solid journeyman from Bolton who can look after himself in...
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Josh Quailey hopes to emulate world boxing champion Anthony...
Melton super-heavyweight Josh Quailey looks to follow in the footsteps of heavyweight boxing hero Anthony Joshua this weekend.Joshua twice won the ABA super-heavyweight title during his amateur career – in 2010 and 2011 – and that is Quailey's target in Liverpool.The 29-year-old entered Friday's Elite Championship quarter-finals as the No.3 seed behind Daniel Dubois (Islington) and Chez O'Neill (Army).The Championship reaches its conclusion on Sunday and Quailey reckons he...
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Murney aiming to be crowned No.1 at England Boxing Championships
Leicester Unity light-welterweight Paige Murney aims to prove she is England's No.1 in Liverpool this weekend.The 21-year-old from Beaumont Leys is seeded No.3 – behind Cherelle Brown (Islington) and Alana Murphy (Army) – in the England Boxing Championships that reach their conclusion at the Echo Arena.Murney enters at the quarter-finals, and coach Ajmal 'Hudge' Butt expects her to go on to win the title tomorrow.Butt saw Murney go out in the last four 12 months ago and said:...
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Paige Murney just misses out on winning England Boxing Elite...
Paige Murney just missed out on winning the England Boxing Elite Championship in Liverpool.The 21-year-old from Braunstone was edged out on a split decision by Cherelle Brown in the light-welterweight final after reversing a points loss to Alana Murphy (Army) in the last four.Brown (Islington) was the No.1 seed, and Leicester Unity coach Ajmal 'Hudge' Butt reckons Murney did enough to beat her.Butt said: "I really thought she deserved the decision."There wasn't much in any of the...
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Boxing's greats are in Louis Norman's corner as he prepares to...
Louis '2 Sweet' Norman plans to win the British flyweight title this weekend – with a bit of help from boxing's greats.The 22-year-old from Shepshed heads to Cardiff to meet Andrew Selby for the vacant belt in front of the Channel Five cameras on Saturday night.Selby is a former world No.1 amateur looking to win the British title in just his fifth fight – that would be a record for a Welsh fighter – but as ever, Norman is full of confidence going into the 12-round...
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Leicestershire boxers win call-up to England Select to face the...
Josh Quailey and Paige Murney have been picked to represent England Select against the Army next week.Both head to Winchester on Wednesday for the match.Murney (Leicester Unity) meets Alana Murphy for the third time – they have shared their previous two bouts – and Quailey meets Chez Nihell at super-heavyweight.Quailey (Melton) was forced to pull out of this year's Elite Championship in Liverpool through injury and, in his absence, Nihell reached the final, losing to Alex...
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Manager's European search to find opponent for 'Bullet' Bowen
Manager Carl Greaves reckons finding opponents for Sam 'Bullet' Bowen is one of the toughest jobs in boxing.Greaves had to look across Europe to secure a match for the Ibstock lightweight at Bedworth Civic Hall tonight – and was relieved when Virgile Degonzago took the eight-round fight.The 28-year-old Frenchman has proved to be durable in his 24-fight career and his toughness is sure to be put to the test by Bowen.He's powered to five straight wins – and is building a big...
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Billy Smith eases past opponent in Hinckley
Earl Shilton's Billy Smith stayed on course for back-to-back Schools titles with a stoppage win in Hinckley.Smith, also a bronze medalist at last year's European championships, reached the quarter-finals with a third-round stoppage of Connor McColough (Stoke Staffs).Smith handed McColough counts in both the second and third rounds before the referee jumped in.Club-mate Callum Blockley won a terrific scrap with Lee Gunter (Walsall Wood) at the football ground.Blockley was desperately close...
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Leicestershire boxers Quailey and Murney denied big wins for...
County fighters Josh Quailey and Paige Murney were both on the wrong end of controversial points decisions when representing their country in Winchester.Murney (Leicester Unity) was unanimously outpointed by Alana Murphy in the England Select-Army match – her second defeat in their three bouts – and Melton super-heavyweight Quailey also missed out.The 29-year-old Quailey dropped a split points decision to Chez Nihell.Quailey hurt his left hand towards the end of the ...
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Boxer Sam Bowen is scaring off potential opponents
Manager Carl Greaves admits it is hard to find opponents for Ibstock lightweight Sam Bowen and it is only going to get harder after his latest win in Bedworth.Virgile Degonzago was considered a durable opponent, but Bowen battered the Frenchman inside a couple of rounds.Bowen has now won all six fights – and his latest win was surely his best yet.Degonzago had been stopped only twice before in a win-one, lose-one 26-fight career, but Bowen was way too strong for him.He...
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Leon Woodstock wants to meet boxing legend Nigel Benn – and...
Leicester super-featherweight Leon Woodstock is looking forward to meeting ring legend Nigel Benn – and bashing his son!Woodstock steps up to six-round level in Bethnal Green next Friday – and eight days later he meets his boxing hero.Benn, the ex-world middleweight and super-middleweight champion remembered for electrifying, savage fights with Gerald McClellan, Chris Eubank and more, is coming to the King Power Stadium for a dinner evening.The 'Dark Destroyer' is back in...
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Matt North aiming to prove that life begins at 40 by winning on...
If you want proof life begins at 40, go to see Matt North fight in Leicester tonight.The Wigston heavyweight meets Steve Murphy on the Ultimate Boxing League show at the Athena and, all being well, heads off to his 40th birthday party straight afterwards."Being 40 isn't a big deal for a heavyweight," said North. "I hit hard and if I get myself fit, nobody in the UBL can beat me."North has won all five fights to date and will challenge the winner of this weekend's ...
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Muhammad Ali was a "legend" - Rendall Munroe
Boxing binman Rendall Munroe has paid tribute to Muhammad Ali, whose death was announced last night.The American heavyweight died after being admitted to hospital in Arizona with a breathing problem. He was 74.Rendall, of Northfields, Leicester, said: "It's really sad news. He was a legend for boxers of all eras."He changed the way of boxing and you can see his style in all the top boxers today."He had so much attitude outside the ring and always did what he wanted. And then,...
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First Person: 'Muhammad Ali changed the way we see sport. There...
I was 10 years of age, growing up north of Liverpool in February 1964 when I first heard about Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali), who died last week.I had almost certainly never met or spoken to a black person – there were none in my neighbourhood. At that time there was one champion, he was usually American and almost invariably black.Men in Britain typically caught title fights in the middle of the night on BBC radio, beamed from Miami Beach or the exotic-sounding Madison Square...
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Schoolboy boxer Billy Smith has eye on European Championship...
Earl Shilton teenager Billy Smith is hoping for another shot at the European Championships after wrapping up back-to-back Schools titles in Grantham.The 14-year-old heads to a European selection camp in Sheffield this weekend looking to impress the England selectors ahead of the championships in Croatia at the end of next month.Smith was a European bronze medalist last year and boosted his chances of getting picked for this year's championships by winning the National Schoolboy title with a...
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Boxer Leon Woodstock faces test against world champion Terry...
Leon Woodstock is heading to Manchester to spar a world champion after extending his winning record.The Leicester super-featherweight came through a good test in his first six-round fight, outpointing Reynaldo Mora at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.The referee had Woodstock winning every round against the Spaniard.Woodstock said: "I had so much fun in there," and the 22-year-old from Beaumont Leys continues his ring education next week.He is heading to Manchester for a week's ...
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