Moneys pride as Hooper makes final

And the Moneyfields boxer emerged with credit after making the final of the national event in Rotherham.

Hooper was the only male boxer from the Southern Counties to make it to the last stage.

That’s after he defeated Wayne Elcock’s Boxing Academy talent Brandon Jones.

Earlsfield’s Omar Augustine came out on top at 81kg in the final.

Moneys coach, Colin Hooker, lauded Hooper’s efforts and is hoping he may even get an international call.

Hooker said: ‘He beat the NAGBC champion to make the final.

‘I thought it was going to be a tough bout but Owen won it well, in my opinion.

‘In the final, he did well in the first round and tried to back him up in the second.

‘When he did that he had success, but just couldn’t keep it going.

‘There was one finallist from London and one from Southern Counties. So that shows there was strength up north this year.

‘But we were very pleased with how Owen did.

‘And they do sometimes select two boxers at a weight to box for England, so you never know.’

Heart of Portsmouth’s (HOP) Ivy-Jane Smith went one further than Hooper as she became national champ with a final win over Luton’s Tysie Gallagher at 54kg.

HOP’s Walid Adenas picked up a second-round stoppage of Sefton’s Joe Chandler at 69kg before losing out to Triumph’s Bradley Goldsmith in the semis.

Bailey Fowler lost out on a split decision to Hooks’ highly-regarded talent Eddie Barrett at 52kg.

Team Wiseman’s Mark Chamberlain went down to a quarter-final loss to Far Cotton’s Morgan Bosley at 60kg.

HOP head coach, Q Shillingford, said: ‘All the boxers trained over the summer and Christmas as part of their preparations.

‘It’s a great team effort with the coaches in the gym every night helping the boxers to achieve their dreams.’