Sunderland boxers Jake Slater and Isaac McLeod celebrate call-up to English Institute of Sport
SUNDERLAND ABC are celebrating after Jake Slater and Isaac McLeod were invited by Great Britain’s selectors to attend the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield for a second time.
The pair were chosen from a pool of 48 boxers throughout the country, alongside Birtley brothers Pat and Luke McCormack, with six eventually winning GB selection.
Sunderland hope Slater and McLeod can make it three GB boxers in the club, alongside heavyweight champion Warren Baister.
Slater, 17, is in good spirits after an impressive win when representing the Tyne Tees Wear region against the Army at Catterick Garrison.
National junior ABA champion Slater took on Sapper Shaun McCarten in his first senior bout and was never fazed by the tough soldier’s advances.
Slater skilfully negotiated the challenge, with strong left-right combinations helping him look the better boxer throughout as he claimed a convincing unanimous points decision.
Club-mate Luke Ratcliffe was also on the bill, but suffered a heartbreaking majority points defeat to paratrooper Jack Thompson.
From the off, Ratcliffe never gave the soldier a second’s rest, piling on the pressure with body and head combinations, with Thompson forced to grab on to his opponent at times.
Radcliffe maintained his two-fister attack throughout, only to be left stunned by the decision.
A consolation came when the Army coach told Sunderland coaches Joe Purvis and Jimmy Richardson that Ratcliffe had been the victor.
Ratcliffe also suffered disappointment, unluckily losing out on a razor-sharp 33-31 decision to Jack Cullen (Gloves ABC) in the quarter-finals of the senior ABA Novice Championships in Manchester.
Meanwhile, Sunderland ABC schoolboy John Purdy enjoyed an excellent win on Shildon ABC’s show, scoring a convincing win over the strong Rhys McKerr.
Purdy used a well-timed counter-punch left jab to knock McKerr into the ropes and generally kept the home fighter off-balance to get the win, delighting coach Steve Pattison.
Fifteen-year-old Travis Waters won praise from his coaches after coming out on top in a tough encounter with Dan Fryett (East Middlesbrough).
Waters, back in action after a short spell out, looked back to his best, using his southpaw right jab with great success, picking off Fryett at every opportunity to win all three rounds.
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Thursday 23 February 2012
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