04-07-2025
Young boxers shine at event which has seen Anthony Joshua win at
FOUR rising stars showcased their skills on one of amateur boxing's biggest stages.
The fighters were battling at the Haringey Box Cup, one of Europe's largest amateur boxing tournaments, held at Alexandra Palace in London.
Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua is a former winner at the prestigious event.
In the quarter-finals of the senior 75kg category, Blackbird Leys ABC's Jamal Franklin beat Tommy Naismith with a dominant display, winning by unanimous decision. Teammate Morris James (youth 75kg) received a bye into the semi-finals.
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Johnny Taylor of Banbury took on Scottish national champion Oliver Jackson in the youth 67kg category, but lost on points.
His twin, Chris Taylor, was in outstanding form, outworking Nadeem Harabia for a clean 5-0 victory in the youth 63.5kg group.
James got into the action against Alex Savga, and using sharp combinations and fast hands in the early rounds, he earned a deserved 4-1 split decision win.
Franklin then defeated Joash Oluwatoki, using crisp counters and smooth footwork to edge the bout with a split decision.
Chris Taylor faced Zac Kazimi in his semi-final, and despite boxing well, he came up short on the scorecards in a 4-1 split loss.
In the final, Franklin met Jenson Burrows. He started strong, landing clean shots and slick counters, while avoiding Burrows' aggressive attacks. Franklin sealed a clear win and a deserved gold medal.
James faced Oliver Male, the current Youth Open national champion from Bridlington. He boxed smartly and showed good movement, but the experience of Male showed as James walked away with a silver medal.
