Haringey Box Cup proves big success

The three-day Haringey Box Cup attracted a massive 391 entries from seven countries at Alexandra Palace, but one of the top finals was decided between local rivals from east London clubs.

Umar Sadiq, 25, boxes in the colours of Repton and came out on top of a crowded 81kg section with a good win over local rival Charlie Russell from Poplar’s Lansbury BC.

The taller Sadiq found the target with sharp-hitting attacks as the hard-hitting Lansbury boxer attempted to turn the fight his way with powerful rights.

Accurate jabs and follow-up hooks checked Russell’s advances as the Repton entry earned the verdict and the gold medal.

Sadiq had clinched the final spot with an impressive display of long-range boxing which proved too much for Kirby BC semi-final opponent Harry Woods.

Another gold medal for the Bethnal Green club went to Jay Dujon, a member of the new Ladies section who swept through the opposition in the Female C 54kg division.

Dujon followed a semi-final success over Eastbourne’s Chloe Taylor with an impressive final win over Irish hope Alex Kornaga (Carrickmacross).

Team-mate Lisa Moore took silver after dropping a close final decision to Raven Chapman (Arena Bournemouth).

There were disappointments for Repton’s stylish light-welterweight Michael McCarthy, who was outpointed by bustling Jacob Gabriel (Basingstoke).

Tall Tim Agbetile looked unlucky as he lost a close verdict in his Class B 75kg clash with Brighton’s Eric Carbonell and Miguel Lopes was outpointed by Earlsfield gold medal winner Simeon Hepburn.

Lansbury’s Tony Buttigieg thought his jab-and-move style had done enough to beat Irish star James Cleary, who he floored in the first round of the Youths 64kg final.

But Cleary took a tight verdict and was later named top youth boxer, while in the Youth A 75kg section Terry Conroy (Lansbury) was eliminated by classy Ben Whittaker (Wednesbury).

*There was gold medal success for Broad Street Stepney entry Ezekiel Baker at the Haringey Box Cup tournament.

Power-punching Baker blasted Hoddesdon rival Wesley Washington to the floor twice before a first-round stoppage win in the Class B 81kg final.

The talented Baker had beaten Justin Williams (Empire Bristol) in the semi-final, but clubmate Rod Douglas lost a split verdict to George Harvey (Strood ABC).

Egis Zukas was outpointed by Mick Chapman (Woking), while Karl Forsythe (Centurions) eliminated another Broad Street hope in Reggie Harrison.

The Stepney club’s giant Paul Odemase and Sebastian Brown (Far Cotton) staged a hard-hitting super-heavyweight clash with a split verdict going to Brown.

*Unbeaten super-middleweight Tom Baker steps up to the light-heavyweight section with a bout at York Hall on July 17 on the Queensberry promotions show.

Mo Hussein, who is trained by his father and former Commonwealth champion MO, appears on a show that also includes Romeo Romaeo, Anthony Yarde, Joe Pigford and debut boxer Sam McNess.

*There is a return contest for the Southern Area welterweight title between champion Freddie Turner and Kris Agyei-Dua at the Goodwin promotion show at York Hall on July 4.

Turner, an ex-Repton amateur, offers a return chance after getting a technical points win when the pair met last December.

Ryan Taylor, Rakeem Noble, Jack Morris, Reece Bellotti and Dominic Akinlade are included on the usually packed Goodwin bill with more than a dozen bouts scheduled.