High hopes for Heart of Portsmouth Academy's Holly Heffron following England National Youth Championships glory

The Chichester-based fighter landed her maiden national title at the England Youth Championships in County Durham last weekend.

Heffron, 17, defeated Bognor Boxing Club’s England Cadet champion Phoebe Griths-Johnson to land the under-51kg female belt.

It was just rewards for the Bishop Luffa School pupil, who regularly arrives at the gym around 6.30am during the week for training before heading to school.

HOP are no strangers to having fighters go onto make an impression on the world and European scene.

Both Ebonie Jones and Ivy-Jane Smith have gone onto big things after leaving the club.

Coincidentally, they also won England Youth Championship titles at the same weight as Heffron.

Now Heart of Portsmouth head coach Shillingford is tipping the Chichester young gun to enjoy a similar rise.

‘Holly has been with the club for more than three years now,’ said Shillingford.

‘Since joining she has gone from strength to strength.

‘She has represented England on several occasions.

‘Holly is following in the footsteps of prior international and GB boxers that we’ve had at the club.

‘Both Ebonie Jones and Ivy-Jane Smith, they both won titles at the under-51kg category.

‘It looks like Holly could follow in the same footsteps.

‘Those two have gone onto world and European honours, both Ivy-Jane and Ebonie.

‘We’re hoping Holly can follow in similar footsteps.

‘We’ve had five or six boxers at the club who have gone onto be part of GB.

‘I’m tipping her to be the next one.’

Heffron has previously represented England, losing in the quarter-finals of the European Championships last year.

The Chichester prospect is heading to Birmingham this weekend in a bid to secure her spot for a return to that competition.

And Shillingford believes her national title glory with give her a good chance of being selected to compete at the European Championships again next month.

‘To become number one for England is a massive achievement for her,’ he added.

‘This weekend she is now going to Birmingham for the selections to represent England in the European Championships.

‘There will be three or four girls who will box each other off on the day and from that they will select the team to go to the Europeans, hopefully Holly will be one of them.

‘Holly has done massively well to win an England title just at the right time.

‘It puts her in the spot for selection.

‘She’s stepped up a level and she’s on the England team already.

‘It’s onwards and upwards for her now.’