Gosport boxer Amy Cooper lands English National Development Championships crown on return to the ring

The Gosport talent, 19, defeated Amy Bullock of Selby in the class B category final to clinch the national crown.

But Cooper’s achievement was made all the more remarkable given the fact this competition represented her return to the ring after a near five-year absence.

She decided to quit the sport at 15 before making a boxing comeback earlier this year.

The English National Development Championships provided Cooper with the chance to make her competitive return.

And she did not disappoint, safely negotiating a semi-final and final to claim national glory.

Cooper’s coach, Darren Blair, was delighted to see the 19-year-old back winning in the ring.

‘Amy hadn’t boxed for a few years,’ said Blair.

‘She decided to give up boxing as she left school and got a job.

‘But now she’s back and looking the business.

‘These wins were her first bouts back since she was 14 or 15.

‘She won a couple of titles when she was a kid.

‘Although she only had about nine bouts, she was right on top of her game.

‘She’s come back and lost over 10kg, she’s looking really good at the moment.

‘Amy beat a girl from Islington to take the title, which was a real tough bout.’

Blair always saw great potential in Cooper and admitted she could have been boxing for her country had the England set-up been as it is now when she was coming through the ranks.

But now the Gosport Boxing Club coach is hoping his fighter can make up for lost time.

The England senior elite championships take place early next year.

And Blair is confident Cooper made make an impression in that event as well.

‘She’s ready for the senior elites now,’ added Blair.

‘There are a lot more girls out there on the senior elites.

‘She’ll be looking at boxing four or five bouts, if she was to get to a final again.

‘We want her boxing non-stop, we don’t want the byes we want her in boxing every round.

‘I said years ago, if the England set-up was there years ago like it is now, she’d have been boxing for England as a kid.

‘But she never got the opportunity, which I was gutted about.

‘I really thought she would have been called up, but she wasn’t.

‘Hopefully now she can show how good she really is.’