Shropshire Star

It's a family affair for Donnington's fighters

Shropshire's Liam Davies will box his area decider in the England Elite Championships early - so he can watch his half-brother in a national final.

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The two siblings and Donnington Boxing Club stable-mates are both gunning for glory in England Boxing tournaments,

writes Craig Birch.

First Davies undertakes a 56kg Elite West Midlands decider tonight, to take place on a D & A club show at the Paragon Hotel in Birmingham.

His area final was due to take place at the Irish Centre in Digbeth on Sunday, after he saw off Aston's Hamza Basharat on a split points decision at the same venue last weekend.

The 20-year-old, a two-weight Central Elite champion, reached the national quarter-finals at 52kg last year and has now come up a division.

He tackles old rival David Seymour, from Todd Reeves' Alcester School of Boxing, over three three minute rounds. He seized the Central belt from him on a points split decision last October.

Davies will then be able to travel to at Birtley Boys Boxing Club on Sunday to cheer on Bradley Thompson, the younger of the two, as he attempts to become an England Junior champion.

Two divisions are separated by age in the juniors, one encompassing 2000-2001 born entrants and another solely for 2001.

Thompson, who reached a Schools final last year, will step through the ropes for three threes with Khalil Osman, from Repton in London.

Joining him in the North-East will be Telford girls Simran Kaur and Kara Murray, both representing Merridale in Wolverhampton.

Kaur is looking to become a double national titlist at 48kg in the 2000-01 female section, after last year's Schools accolade. She has Chloe Watson, from Birkenhead Venture in Merseyside.

Club cohort Kara Murray has yet to box in the competition, but has the chance to claim her first national title. She features at 60kg against Elisha Mannouch, from Swale Gloves in Kent.

Bridie O'Keefe, from Salopian in Shrewsbury, has already lost her 63kg national final. She was outpointed unanimously by Scunthorpe's Gemma Richardson on a club show in Lincolnshire.

Donnington will also stage the first regional round of the England Schools competition on Saturday. Fighters will be entered in a combined 2002-03 and a solo 2004 'minors' class.

Doors to their home venue on Turreff Avenue open at 10am, where participants will be weighing in until 12pm, with the first bell expected around 12.30pm.

Entry for spectators is £10 for adults and £5 for children and concessions, with everyone having to pay on the door.

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