MIDDLESBROUGH – ABC light flyweight Joe Maphosa can make up for his National Senior Elite Championship final defeat this weekend when he boxes in the GB Elite Three Nations.
The Park End fighter suffered a costly National Elite defeat in Liverpool last month as his unanimous points loss to Beddington’s Sunny Edwards denied him a place on the GB Podium Squad.
Zimbabwe-born Joe can make swift amends in Rotherham this weekend however and is motivated to set the record straight, according to his trainer Tony Whitby.
The 21-year-old forms one third of a 49kg group which sees him representing GB, with Steel City’s Edwards boxing for England and 2014 Commonwealth Games 2014 quarter-finalist Aqeel Ahmed representing Scotland.
The boxing takes place at the Magna Science and Adventure Centre in Rotherham.
Middlesbrough ABC coach Whitby said: “Joe didn’t perform in the Elite Finals and he got a call to say he isn’t going on the Podium Squad from the Development Squad yet.
“He caught Edwards with jabs in the final but not enough of them, and he wasn’t going again after he caught him.
“But what better way to bounce back, especially if he gets Edwards in the draw.
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“We have been working on pushing forward and throwing lots of punches. He is up for it.”
Darlington ABC’s newly-crowned National Elite middleweight champion Troy Williamson is one of four boxers competing in the tournament’s 75kg group.
Hartlepool’s Adam Cope is boxing in the lightweight division.
The semi-finals are on Saturday, with the finals on Sunday.
– Gazette Live