Chamberlain wants world success after rewriting record books

The Team Wiseman ace rewrote the record books after lifting the prestigious national title in his first season as a senior boxer.

Chamberlain overcame Kings Heath’s Akash Tuquir in his 60kg final at the York Hall in Bethnal Green with a split-decision success.

The 19-year-old has received an England call-up after victory with the international outing earmarked for later in the summer.

Islington’s Shaun Thomas was defeated in the first of three bouts in as many days.

The Ring’s European champion Charles Frankham was then handed a standing count in the semi-finals before Tuquir, who’d knocked out number one seed Callum Thompson, was bettered as Chamberlain took the title.

It’s 20 years since a boxer from across our communities won the elite title while with a local club.

That man was Tony Oakey, who picked up the second of his ABA titles as a cruiserweight with Leigh Park in 1998.

Chris Bessey picked up a phenomenal six titles between 1993 and 2000 with the army, while brother Billy won at super-heavyweight in 1999 while based in Hartlepool.

Heart of Portsmouth’s (HOP) Basingstoke-based Greg Bridet was also a heavyweight winner in 2013. Drayton’s Ebonie Jones won a female title in the army last year.Now Chamberlain joins the elite list, but according to coach, Daron Wiseman has even bigger achievements in his sights.

He said: ‘What a weekend. It was a brilliant weekend. Amazing. It’s some achievement.

‘Mark followed every instruction perfectly all the way through and performed superbly from start to finish.

‘We changed our approach depending on the opponent and it all worked perfectly.

‘It was a tough route, but to be an elite champion in his first year at the level is something else.

‘We’ve had calls from a couple of people from the professional ranks already. But we’re not interested at the moment. There’s still stuff that we need to clear up in the amateurs. He’s still just 19.

‘Mark will now box in the Three Nations. We want to win that and then box for a European and world title. I think he can do it.’

HOP’S Kerry Davies was also an elite championship winner just a few months after linking up with her new club from her Cheltenham base.

Davies defeated Nemesis boxer Ellena Narozanski at 75kg with a unanimous decision.

There was disappointment, though, as Drayton’s Ebonie Jones and HOP’s Ivy-Jane Smith both failed to make the weight at 51kg to put the brakes on their anticipated meeting.