by Highland Boxing Academy took home two champions on the opening weekend of the 2024 Scottish Development Championships.
Teenagers Ethan Hoult and Alexander Russell became the club’s first gold medalists in the 2024/25 season.
The development championships are divided into different categories depending on weight and experience, with Hoult winning the 50kg A class and Russell emerging victorious in the 54kg B class.
The club’s head coach Liam Foy was pleased with the results, especially as both fighters had to overcome adversity in the final to get their hand raised.
“Ethan started off a little slow in the first round, he was a little bit off on the wrong foot, but once we got him back into the corner we got him to prepare his attacks a little better,” Foy explained.
“He did well in the second and third rounds and got the split decision. It was close, but we were confident he had done enough.
“It was great for him. He’s a young lad, only 15, and it was his first title for the club – and our first title this season.
“Then we had Alexander Russell (14), who won a unanimous decision in a high-class boxing match. Thanks go to both boxers.
“The referee showed both boxers around after the fight, which never really happens, but Alexander came out on top.
“Both had long range and most of the fighting was close quarters, but there was no grappling and grappling. Alexander’s variety and his work rate were enough to give him the decision of the day.”
Although Hoult and Russell became champions, they were by no means the only HBA athletes to enter the ring last week.
In fact, out of nine bouts, the club was victorious in six of them, while others will return to the championships this weekend in their own bid to become champions.
Taylor Rattray won two bouts last weekend to earn a spot in this Saturday’s semifinals, while 12-year-old duo Luka Kushch and Troy Stewart each advanced to their own semifinals after winning their competitive debut.
Alexander McClymont, Luke Urquhart and Ralf Mihalkins will also feature this weekend, with the top two starting the quarter-finals on Friday. So if everyone is successful, there could be six more champions for HBA.
“The fact that we lost in the first weekend of the tournament and won twice as much as we lost means we did well,” said Foy.
“Quite simply, I believe that they can all win individually – that doesn’t mean they will all win as anything can happen on that day, but I will not send boxers to the biggest tournament in the country without belief that they have the potential to win.
“But I’m looking forward to this weekend. There’s still a lot of boxing coming up, so it’s going to be busy.
“We won two gold medals on the first weekend, which gives us a good basis for a good haul of medals in the first competition of the season.”
