Oxford Boxing Academy's Peter Buchta (pictured) carries the hopes of the entire Home Counties in the National Novice Class B Finals (under 20 bouts) at the home of boxing, York Hall, Bethnal Green tomorrow.

The 20-year-old Polish heavyweight, the region's lone finalist, will climb the ropes to face Joe Harvey, from the Royal Navy, in his first national final.

"When you start boxing, you hope one day you will be a national champion," he said.

"My training in the past three years at the Academy under head coach Faz Keyani has enabled me to perhaps fulfil that dream.

"The setting is great, I have been running six miles every morning and punching the bags and sparring every evening.

"I am in peak condition and I hope I can bring the title home to Oxfordshire."

Meanwhile, Lawrence Lewis, the former ABA bantamweight finalist, travelled to the Thistle Hotel at Heathrow to take on southern area champion Sid Vincent, from Woking.

Having been without serious competition for nearly a year, it took Lewis two rounds before he got to his stride.

Against a taller southpaw, left hooks were the weapon of choice - and towards the end of the third round, a beautiful shot placed just underneath the rib cage, felled Vincent forcing him to take a mandatory eight count.

Vincent resorting to holding tactics in the fourth round which earned him a public warning - and Lewis was announced a clear winner on all judges' cards.

On the same bill, 14-year-old Ben Kaluza, from Bicester, made it a winning double for the Academy as he out-boxed the more experienced Chris McDonnagh from the host gym Hayes ABC.