Finchley's Luke Calvert, twice NABC champion, scored an impressive points win over capable George Hillyard (St Pancras) at Camden's Irish Centre.

Calvert completed a double, having defeated Hillyard on points at the St Pancras tournament last month.

Calvert caught Hillyard with strong combinations in the opening round and although Hillyard made the running in the next, he was unable to to dominate.

When they traded blows in the last round, Calvert showed greater punching power and won a unanimous verdict.

Finchley's Lewis Brown also completed a double, outpointing John Gaffey (Wolvercote) for the second time in a month.

Making his debut, 22-year-old Roy Kibui (Finchley) figured in an exciting, fluctuating all-action encounter with Eugene Mahon (Dagenham).

Kibui came close to scoring a first-round win when bloodied Mahon needed a standing eight count and was saved by the bell. But the Finchley fighter tired in the third round, and lost a majority points decision.

Finchley's Joe Smyth seeks to win his third national title in four years in the NABC finals at Peterlee, Durham, on Friday.

Smyth and Ashley Sexton both won National Schools' titles last season. Sexton made a winning debut for England against Ireland in a schools' international at Ipswich earlier this month, outpointing Irish champion Stuart Keegan.

December 12, 2001 18:19