Blackpool Sharpstyle boxers Thomas Varey and Leighton Birchall crowned English champions

Thomas Varey and Leighton Birchall took home the honours at England Boxing’s showpiece event in Hereford.

Varey was victorious in the under-57kg junior male category, beating Chase Loveridge (of Pinewood Boxing Club) by unanimous decision in the final.

His previous fight against Denaeo George (City of Leicester) was voted the male bout of the tournament in the open class by England Boxing coaches and officials.

Birchall, meanwhile, beat Danish Ahmed (of True BC) in his final, also by unanimous decision, to take the under-46kg title.

He was also named as the male boxer of the tournament in the open class.

Alice Pumphrey also represented Sharpstyle in the female open class.

Alice lost out on a split decision in the quater-finals to the eventual under-54kg champion Emily Whitworth from People’s Gym in Manchester.

Birchall was first in action for Sharpstyle, beating Ethan Rutter of Second City ABC 4-1 to reach the final.

Varey’s outstanding fight against England teammate and European champion George was very technical and the Blackpool’s fighter’s speed, movement and punching made the difference as he was declared the 5-0 winner.

Leighton was again flawless in his final against Yorkshire’s Ahmed, beating his opponent in every exchange for a 5-0 triumph.

Up against Home Counties champion Loveridge in his final, Varey boxed to instruction, kept the bout clean and pressed on the front foot for another 5-0 win.

All the open class champions have been invited to train with the England Talent coaches at a Junior Champions Day on November 13.

Sharpstyle coach Taylor Walker said: “The effort the three have put into training was phenomenal.

“They all trained like professional athletes.

“Both boys were stand-out boxers in the tournament.

“They will have a couple of days’ rest, then we are out again for the three-day Barum Box Cup in Devon (starting November 19).”

England Boxing development coach Amanda Coulson said of the Hereford spectacular: “We now have a very talented core of junior boxers and it will be interesting to see how they have moved on again by the time of the next England Boxing National Junior Championships in March that will, Covid-19 permitting, help us select a squad for the Junior European Championships 2022.”

Sharpstyle’s Levi Barnes, Nelson Birchall and Corey Scott will contest this weekend’s regional finals for the Youth National Championshps in Manchester.

They will bid to win through to the national finals in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

And Sharpstyle’s Tyrone Bowen-Price will make his second professional appearance on a show at the AJ Bell Stadium in Manchester on December 4.