Young guns eye regional glory

TITLE CONTENDERS: Mark Heffron (top) and Danny Wright.

Boxers hold title hopes

BOARSHAW boxers Mark Heffron and Danny Wright packed a powerful punch as they won through to the North-West finals of two national tournaments.

Heffron (17) made a spectacular return to the ring after an eight-month lay-off with a hand injury.

The student from Oldham Sixth Form College had three bouts in six days, all against former national champions, and he won the lot.

Heffron kicked off his hat-trick while representing the North-West against the North-East. He stopped Sunderland’s Josh Gibson, who had won 24 of his previous 29 bouts, in the third round.

Heffron’s next fight was against Northside’s Adam Little in the National Boys’ Club Championships and he won a unanimous points decision against an opponent, who had won 35 out of 38 contests.

And, in the Manchester area final of the NBCC, Heffron was equally impressive in defeating Callum Cooke, from Mottram and Hattersley Boxing Club, by a wide points margin.

That earned Heffron a place in the North-West final at Liverpool on February 14.

Wright has also been unstoppable as he won through to the North-West final of the National Schoolboy Championships in Liverpool tomorrow.

The 12-year-old pupil from Failsworth School recorded two impressive victories to reach this stage.

He defeated D Baraclough, from Northside, 7-1 on points and then posted an even more emphatic 15-1 margin against K Dugdale, from Skerton Boxing Club.

ANOTHER local fighter, Ronnie Heffron, is in action tomorrow when he boxes for England against hosts Sweden in Kalmar.