Big weekend of boxing at Banbury's Spiceball leisure centre

Marlon Gray-Deacon (in red) with his opponent Theocharis Kariz

Banbury’s Spiceball Leisure Centre will host the final stages of the England Boxing National Youth Championships this weekend from Friday, November 26 to Sunday, November 28.

They will also be joined by the Youth Development Championship boxers.

And on the programme are a host of Senior bouts in both the England Boxing National Amateur Championships and Senior Development Championships, with the winners going forward to next weekend’s quarter-finals at Cannock .

Banbury Boxing Club’s George Miles (in blue) with his opponent Jamal Kayani

The action starts at 1pm on Saturday and 12noon on Sunday. Tickets are available to purchase on the day, £20 per adult, £10 per concession (over 65), £5 (six to 15-year-olds). Cash only.

Unfortunately, Banbury Boxing Club’s senior boxers didn’t get through to this next round of the championships but still had positive experiences competing against the best clubs in the country. It was the club’s first competitive matches since the Covid-19 Outbreak.

George Lines marked his 30th contest as an ‘Elite’ Boxer in Luton on Saturday night stepping up to 3x 3-minute rounds in the Home Counties 61-64kg Regional Semi-final of the England Boxing National Amateur Championship against Jamal Kayani from High Wycombe.

George didn’t get the win but put on a great show forcing his opponent on to the back foot throughout. He got caught with some impressive well-timed counterpunches which scored against him with the judges.

He finished the 3rd round strongly and was ready to go again for a fourth but had left it too late to change the verdict. For George’s first ever 3x3min Elite contest he put in a crowd-pleasing performance who clapped him all the way back to change room. It shows he can be a good prospect at this level. Had he reached the next round he could have been up against a seeded Team GB boxer.

On Sunday in Carterton was ‘Magic’ Marlon Gray-Deacon competing in the Home Counties Regional Final for the 57-60kg England Boxing Senior Development Championship title (5-20bouts). He was drawn against a highly rated Greek international boxer Theocharis Karzis from Hoddesdon.

Despite a solid performance Marlon lost on a points decision to the more experienced boxer. The first round was very even and a great display of boxing from Marlon, who moved well and landed some eye-catching shots.

The tide turned at the end of the second round when the magic faded and the Hodbox boxer stepped things up for the remainder of the bout.