Oxford Boxing Academy’s Bradley Townsend delivered the lone local victory in the ring as the title trail in this year’s ABAE Elite and Royal Navy Junior championships got under way at the Regal in Cowley.
And it was an impressive performance as he used the perfect tactics to outpoint taller Cheshunt rival Andrew Ioannou in their Class 4 (born 1995) featherweight clash.
Townsend returns to the ring at Luton this weekend to tackle Sean Wood from Milton Keynes – both won their respective semi finals at Cowley.
He is joined by Ben Kaluza who boxes Reading’s Andrew Doe in the Class 6 (born 1993) welterweight division final.
Fellow Academy prospect George Stevens, had a walkover at the Regal and now faces Stevenage rival Levi Redmond for the Home Counties Class 5 (born 1994) junior light welterweight title on March 26.
But guaranteed a place in the next round is Blackbird Leys southpaw Leslie Hill who was unchallenged in the Class 6 lightweight category.
Berinsfield’s Liam Joseph set the initial pace in his Class 4 featherweight clash with Terry O’Reilly, proving more nimble on his toes during the first half of the contest.
The MK Victors teenager rallied towards the end, but it was open to question as to whether he had done enough to claw back the early deficit.
Joseph missed out on a highly debatable majority verdict decision.
Windrush Valley’s Patrice Guillois began promisingly, but proved unable to match the firepower of taller Bushey rival Jez Smith in their Class 5 flyweight encounter.
In the senior event there was disappointment Blackbird Leys light middleweight Jack Hill – the only local contender in action at the Regal.
He was winded by a penetrating body shot landed early in the bout by Tamuka Much-apondwa and then struggled to get back into his rhythm to demonstrate his true potential.
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