Oldham pair on senior mission
Reporter: SIMON SMEDLEY
Date published: 14 April 2015
BOXING:
PUNCHING pair Jack Rafferty and Danny Wright will be flying the Oldham flag into the senior ABA quarter-finals which take place at the Echo Arena in Liverpool between April 24-26.
Shaw-based Northside ABC ace Rafferty (19) secured his place at the Merseyside showpiece after out-gunning Northampton’s Far Cotton club’s Josh Pensee over three cracking rounds in the 69kg division.
In what was later described as the bout of the afternoon at the pre-quarter-finals event at Chesterfield’s Arc Leisure Centre, Rafferty outboxed Pensee to secure a unanimous points decision victory.
Rafferty’s trainer Joe Pennington said: “It was a great fight from Jack. The two lads went toe-to-toe but Jack was always in control. He put on a great show for all his supporters who travelled down to Chesterfield to cheer him on. Now it’s time to train hard and get switched on and ready for the finals in Liverpool now.”
Failsworth-based Wright, who trains with Ben Lancaster in Middleton, secured his place in the 64kg section quarter-finals thanks also to a unanimous decision victory over England international and former national champion Billy Tickle at Chesterfield.
The Oldham College student said: “I was buzzing with my performance because I boxed well right from the start of the fight. I was keeping the pressure on my opponent throughout with some really good body shots. He didn’t like them. I feel like I’ve sent out a statement of intent.”
The draw for the quarter-finals in each of the divisions will be made on the first morning at the Echo Arena, but both Rafferty and Wright ought to be confident of making further progress after impressing at the weekend.
twitter: @Smedders1966
