NEWHAM BOXING CLUB S John Coyle punched his way to a second national award when he claimed the Junior ABA title in the Royal Navy-sponsored finals at the Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool on Sunday. In a contest rated as the best bout of the entire ch

NEWHAM BOXING CLUB'S John Coyle punched his way to a second national award when he claimed the Junior ABA title in the Royal Navy-sponsored finals at the Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool on Sunday.

In a contest rated as the best bout of the entire championship weekend, Coyle's Eastside BC rival Francis Bennett put up stubborn opposition all the way in the class-four 66kg final duel.

However, Coyle proved his outstanding ability as his superior boxing took him to title success and, at the final bell, the ringside officials voted the Newham boxer an 8-5 winner.

In the high standard finals, there was disappointment for three of the four finalists from the Newham Boxing Club - George Moughton, George Veness and Liam Desmond.

Once again, the computer scoring used at the championships caused controversy, with many tight decisions going against London club hopes.

Newham BC official Joe Chapman admitted: "I am not complaining about the results in general, there were some outstanding boxers there who deserved their titles.

"But I thought some of the scoring was way off the mark with very good punches just not rewarded."

George Veness's class-five 54kg final meeting with South Bank BC opponent Robert Walker proved one of the closest finals of the championship weekend.

The points were in the balance at the final bell, but the judges cast their vote in favour of the South Bank BC boxer by a single point, scoring it 3-2 in his favour.

Desmond also had to be satisfied with a runners-up award against a highly-talented northerner, when he was outpointed by Joe Costello (Chelmsley Wood) in their class-four 50kg decider.

Costello's sharp punches brought a13-2 points majority from the judges as he lifted the national award.

Moughton, who has shown steady improvement all along the national title trail, faced easily the toughest test of the campaign against Zac Smith from the local Tower Hill BC in their class-four 57kg encounter.

Smith, whose list of trophy success includes four national titles and a European schoolboys' medal, showed his form with some effective attacks, roared on by his local supporting squad.

Moughton produced some determined replies, especially in the second round, but they clearly did not register as the judges voted local boy Smith an 8-1 winner at the final bell.