THE Preliminary rounds of the national Junior Amateur Boxing Championships were held at the Newquay Leisure Centre on Saturday March 28. These rounds see boxers from Cornwall, Dorset and Devon compete in eliminators with the winners facing boxers from the Bristol, Gloucester and Somerset area in the Western Counties finals the following Saturday at Weston-super- Mare.

First on for Launceston was Craig Charnock (17) who faced Howard Hart (17) from the Mayflower club in Plymouth. This bout was to be contested over four, two-minute rounds with Craig having it all to do against the vastly more experienced boy from Plymouth.

For the first three rounds there was nothing in it between the two boxers with both boys displaying the art of hit without being hit and both having their successes. The bout hinged on the last round and the now tiring Launceston boy got caught with a couple of decent punches. The referee intervened and halted the bout declaring Howard Hart the winner.

Next on for Launceston was Wes Smith (16) who was going to have to box twice as there were four boys who came in at the same weight. Wes was drawn to box Shaun Hall (16) from Newquay whilst the two remaining boys – one from Barnstaple and one from Blandford were drawn against each other. The winners of both of these bouts would box each other in a final eliminator on the same show.

From the opening bell Wes elected to put the pressure on the Newquay boy connecting with thunderous left and rights to the head forcing Shaun on to the back foot. It wasn't long before the referee was forced to intervene and issue a standing count after Wes landed a peach of a right uppercut followed by a straight right. Wes kept the pressure on to the bell with Newquay boy struggling badly.

The second round saw Wes carry on where he left off leaving the referee no alternative but to stop the contest to save the Newquay boy from any further punishment. And Wes was declared the winner.

Less than an hour later Wes was back in the ring and faced Peter Nurdin (16) from Blandford who had also just won his box off. From the opening bell Wes pushed the pace connecting with solid jabs and right hands to an already damaged nose of the Blandford boy. Wes had to eat one or two shots himself but stuck to his game plan and kept the pressure on to the bell.

Round two was as the first with Wes's relentless pressure having more of an effect on the now tiring Blandford boxer with Wes connecting more often with solid shots to the head forcing a standing eight count. The Blandford boy battled back hard sustaining a very bad nose bleed but could not stay with the pace of Wes.

The final round was brought to an early conclusion after Wes was finding the target with ease with both hands, connecting with solid shots. The referee stopped the contest and declared Wes the winner.

Wes Smith along with club mate Jameel Sandham (17), who had a walk over in this round will be competing in the Western Counties finals on Saturday April 4, at Weston-super-Mare.