Inverness City ABC produced three champions at the North District School and Junior Championship in Aberdeen this month.
Held in the Sunnybank Social Club over two weekends, a trio of its young talents walked off with gold medals after showing up impressively.
The first of the club’s winning group was Robert Stewart, who scored a unanimous success in the Schoolboy 2008 section’s 48kg final over LJ Jackson, from Cain.
Jonathan Kamphan was the next winner as he produced a first-round stoppage for victory against Lochee’s Conor Crawford in the 2007 Junior 50kg showdown.
On Friday night, Kian Stewart – cousin of Robert – followed up his Scottish Novice title win in February by winning the Schoolboy 2010 Novice 42kg final against Elgin’s Finlay Gardiner.
Top displays hailed by head coach
Head coach Laurie Redfern, who has now produced 89 champions throughout his career, was thrilled to see the youngsters cope with the demands in a competitive arena.
He said: “Robert has won four of his six bouts now and this was an all-action fight. It was a toe-to-toe fight, but Robert is strong and he won’t give up.
“He took over in the second round after an even first and he went on to win strongly. He is coming along nicely.
“Kian lost his first bout at the Scottish Championships, which was in a massive arena in Glasgow, which is a daunting prospect for a first contest.
“After being overawed there, he took on board my advice to just go for it. I know what he’s capable of. I see it in the gym and I wanted to see it in a fight.
“It was over quickly. The referee gave his opponent a standing count then Kian went straight back in and hit him with one shot in particular and there was no alternative than for it to be stopped in round one.
“Kian’s opponent from Elgin was a tough prospect, who ran at him right away. The last round was the best where he really boxed at his best where he outboxed and out jabbed his opponent. It was another unanimous decision, which made it three golds.
“Kian continues to impress and that was shown again when, the morning after his win in Aberdeen, he was back in the gym for three rounds against his mates.
“Like his older brother, George, he has the potential to go a long way. No doubt he will.”
Teenager puts in miles for sport
There was also valuable experience, but no victory for Inverness City’s Alasdair Last, who was in action in the junior male 2006 section at 63kg.
Last makes a four-hour round trip to the gym from Achiltibuie near Ullapool and his contest against the Jacobite’s Omari Taylor was only his second bout.
Redfern praised Last and his dad for putting in the miles to make the trip to Inverness three times a week.
He added: “His dad, David, brings him here on a two-hour drive each way, which is some commitment.
“Although Alasdair lost this one, I have given him and his dad instructions on how to improve when not at the gym, but he’s right at the start, so he will improve.”
Summer show in place at Drumossie
Next up for the Merkinch-based club is a return to the Drumossie Hotel on June 24 for their second professional show of the year.
Home fighter Calum Turnbull will be chasing his third straight professional win, with club-mates Adian Williamson and George Stewart going into their second contests after debut victories at the venue last month.
Highly-rated Cypriot-born, Fife-based boxer Effy Kathopouli will add to the appeal and she will contest a 10-rounder IBO title.
