By Peter Mann

IT was a weekend of mixed emotions in Liverpool as the Tyne Tees Wear‘s finest amateurs headed for the Elite Senior Championships.

A strong squad headed for Merseyside and, after the dust had settled, four of them returned as National champions, including three from Birtley as Callum French, Luke and Pat McCormack also succeeded.

It was Darlington’s Troy Williamson who shone in the middleweight category claiming a unanimous decision against Halliwell’s Jack Flatley over three rounds. The previous two contests had seen the Darlington ABC fighter, trained by Andy Marksby, first dismiss Dale Youth’s Hamir Sediqy then, in the semis, cut short Sheffield City’s Ryszard Lewicki in two rounds to progress.

After becoming the 2015 ABA Champion a delighted Williamson, who is sponsored by Teesside Industrial Solutions on Portrack Lane in Stockton, said: “After last year this was just unbelievable and I’m the first from our gym (Darlington ABC) to win the belt.

“There was a quite few people came down with me over the weekend and I can’t be happier, for me and for them as I knew that title would be coming home with me.

“I took my time on Friday in the quarters as he’s actually boxed six times just to get out of the London Borough whereas I was seeded so came straight in. The bout in the semis was as equally tough, especially as I had done five rounds for the British Lionhearts the week before in the World Series (against Cuba). He definitely came to win but I knew that if I stuck to the plan then I would do the job.

“As for the final, I’d been dreaming about winning that belt for the past four months and the lad I faced (Ryszard Lewicki) was definitely the hardest of the three to overcome. He’s beaten some good fighters to get there including some Team GB members, some who have been around for a few years.”

The 2014 ABA finalist and present member of the Team GB/British Lionhearts setup has been firing on many fronts in recent times. Trained by Andy Marksby, a coach with a reputation for breeding champions with over 20 at differing levels down the years developing beneath him.

Troy added: “I started boxing at 17 so was a late developer really.

“With Andy (Marksby) though, I’ve been with him from the beginning and I’m just one of a long line of champions he has helped produce. He’s a great coach and goes absolutely everywhere with the lads even taking the time to watch me box against Cuba – he spurs us on massively.”

Participation in the World Series of Boxing with the British Lionhearts keeps the 23-year-old Darlington fighter in the frame for a place in Rio so any thoughts of turning over are a long way off, for now at least

Elsewhere on the amateur scene this Saturday (May 2) and Sunday (May 3) Darlington’s Dolphin Centre will play host to the Slayco Tyne Tees Wear Schoolboy/Girl Boxing Championships.

With participating fighters from around the region from as close as Ward Degnans to as far as Alnwick it will be two days to remember for the Junior fighters as they put into action months of constant training.

“The competition itself has been contested for some time now but it’s first time it has been held in Darlington,” said Stephen Graham, TTW Executive.

“We’re giving all areas in the north-east and their clubs a chance to hold the competition which is open to fighters, boys and girls, born after 2001 in three age groups. All told we’ll have maybe a hundred plus boxers from 82 member associations on show.”

With a good attendance expected over the two days the championships, which sees the fighters weigh in between 10am and noon on each day, appear in weight divisions ranging between 26.5kgs to approx. 65kgs.

Mr Graham added: “The schools championships are probably the best attended in the amateurs and, even though other competitions are very good and have got better as the years have progressed, this is the one to be at.”

The Slayco Tyne Tees Wear Schoolboy/Girl Boxing Championships take place at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington on the weekend of May 2/3with boxing starting from 1pm until around 6pm on each day. Tickets can be purchased on the door priced at £7.50 for under 15s and £12.50 for adults.