(DEC 9) Shona Whitwell marked her first competitive bout in 15 months by winning the Best Elite Boxer belt at the inaugural Women’s Winter Box Cup – the UK’s first all-female event. 

The St Ives Boxing Academy boxer faced a stern test in the shape of an England Commonwealth Youth Games representative, teenager Sadie Thomas, in the Group A final of the Elite A 60kg category. 

But she demonstrated she had lost none of her class by winning a unanimous points decision against her younger Headland ABC opponent in front of a healthy crowd at the George H Carnall Centre in Urmston, Manchester. 

Whitwell, who suffered concussion in her last bout – last year’s European Championships semi-final against Olympic medallist Mira Potkonen – was relieved to have made a winning return. 

“I was a bit nervous with having been out for so long, but all the hard work I’ve put in to come back has now paid off with winning this title,” said the 20-year-old. 

“To win the England Boxing Women’s Winter Box Cup is a big honour for me and it’s really good to win something nationally before I hopefully step up again to international level and try to get back on the GB squad. 

“It’s been a great atmosphere to watch the other girls, but it’s just nice from a personal point of view get that first one back out of the way.” 

Winner of the Most Promising Elite Boxer trophy was Ileana Ingram (pictured, top, with Whitwell), who boxed for Aston ABC in the Elite B 69kg category. 

She overcame a tough final opponent in Houghton District’s Kerry Haley to register a split decision victory. 

Another to impress was the evergreen Nina Hughes, of Chadwell St Mary ABC, who showed that the 30-somethings still have plenty to offer by beating Carly Skelly of North Mersey in the Elite A 54kg category. 

The proud mum dedicated her split decision success over the 2017 ABA Championships finalist to her son back home in Essex. 

“It’s been a brilliant weekend and there’s been such a good display from so many of the girls here,” she said. “I’ve boxed twice this weekend, which is great, and it’s even better to have come away with a gold medal as the standard has been really good. 

“I’ve had a brilliant year this year – I’ve stayed unbeaten – and I promised my son I would bring back a gold medal in going away for the weekend, so I’m glad I have.” 

Leading other notable successes among the Elites was GB Women development boxer Omarah Taylor, who bounced back from defeat to Laura Stevens at Thursday night’s GB Championships in Sheffield by defeating TTW Golden Girls’ Hannah Shields on a split decision at Elite A 69kg. 

Elsewhere, Haringey’s Amy Andrew, who boxed for New Zealand in the World Championships earlier this year, beat Amanda Millere of Boxing Club Riga in the Elite A 57kg Group A final, while Dutch boxer, and European Youth Championships gold medallist, Chelsey Heijnen, saw off Haringey’s Oriance Lunghu by a unanimous verdict in the Elite A 64kg category. 

The action was just as exciting at Youth level, where Ellie Hibbert, of North West Region Women’s Warriors, was named as Most Promising Boxer after defeating Cleary ABC’s Morgan Ansell, an England international and national champion, on a spilt decision in the Youth A 48kg category. 

“It’s been amazing to be here and have girls from everywhere in the country taking part,” she said. “We’ve been able to get to know each other as well as compete. I’ve loved it. 

“Morgan is a really good boxer, who’s represented England, so I just went in wanting to perform well. To come out with the win was even better, and all the coaches at North West are over the moon.” 

Empire School of Boxing’s Savannah Stubley took home the belt for Best Youth Boxer as she won a spilt decision against fellow England international Maisie Courtney of Repton BC. 

In the Junior section, Courtney Scott underlined her class by stepping up two weights and still claiming a gold medal in the Junior A 60kg Group A final. 

The European Junior Champion and Headland ABC boxer secured a unanimous points victory over Kamile Poskauskyte and was rewarded with the Best Junior Boxer belt. 

Picking up the trophy for Most Promising Junior Boxer was Salisbury ABC’s Shassan Dutton, who saw off the challenge of Riverside BC’s Lola Hannant by RSC. 

A full list of results from both days of boxing are detailed below. 

DAY ONE

Juniors 

Junior B - 57kg - Group A: Stephanie Horrocks [Tameside Elite] beat Jaime Black [The Purge Boxing Academy] by unanimous decision.

Junior B - 57kg - Group B: Shassan Dutton [Salisbury ABC] beat Amee' Griffin [Brookside Boxing Club] by the referee stopping the contest.

Junior B - 63kg - Group A: Emily Monks [NWR Women Warriors] beat Morgan Baber [Downend Police ABC] by split decision.

Junior B - 63kg - Group B: Jillyjean Newton Westlake [Intense ABC Plymouth] beat Libby Whiting [Riverside BC] by retirement.

Junior B - 70kg: Charlotte Burns [TTW Golden Girls] beat Ellie Rooney [Wildcard-ABC] by split decision.

Junior A - 50kg - Group A: Kelsey Oakley [Priory Park] beat Macy Gallone [TTW Golden Girls] by walkover.

Junior A - 52kg: Holly Heffron [Heart of Portsmouth] beat Mia Holland [Priory Park] by unanimous decision.

Junior A - 60kg - Group A: Courtney Scott [Headland ABC] beat Kelsey Uscroft [Tommy Coyle Boxing Academy] by unanimous decision.

Junior A - 60kg - Group B: Hollie Towl [Worksop Xbox Boxing Academy] beat Dione Burman [Braunstone Golden Gloves] by split decision.

Junior A - 70kg: Ellouise Challenger [Downend Police ABC] beat Demi Uscroft [Tommy Coyle Boxing Academy] by the referee stopping the contest.

 Youths 

Youth C - 51kg: Jennifer Beech [Towerhill] beat Natalie Jubb [TTW Golden Girls] by split decision.

Youth C - 60kg - Group A: Becky Hopwood [Salopian] beat Georgie Belt [Tamworth Boxing] by unanimous decision.

Youth A - 48kg: Morgan Ansell [Cleary's ABC] beat Rebecca Unsworth [Wildcard-ABC] by unanimous decision.

Youth A - 54kg: Maisie Courtney [Repton BC] beat Jessica Zelazko [NWR Women Warriors] by split decision.

 Elites

 Elite C - 57kg - Group A: Colleen Roach [Left Hook] beat Emma Woods [Natbridge ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite C - 60kg - Group A: Natalie Harris [Jersey Leonis ABC] beat Angelika Chmielowiec [Roche Boxing Club] by unanimous decision.

Elite B - 51kg - Group A: Chiara Gregoris [Hic Sunt Leones] beat Laura Leonard [Doublejab ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite B - 64kg: Charlie Wild [Aspire] beat Patsy Smith [March Boxing Club] by unanimous decision.

Elite B - 64kg: Jordan Barker [Lambton Street ABC] beat Jess Teevan [Everton Red Triangle] by unanimous decision.

Elite B - 69kg: Ileana Ingram [Aston ABC] beat April Hunter [TTW Golden Girls] by walkover.

Elite B - 69kg: Kerry Haley [Houghton District] beat Laura Pagliaro [Bletchley ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 48kg: Miriam Zouhou [Stratford upon Avon] beat Rebecca McMullin [Intense ABC Plymouth] by split decision.

Elite A - 48kg: Marie Connan [Left Hook] beat Emma Feeney [Virginia Boxing Club] by split decision.

Elite A - 51kg: Nicola Hopewell [Worksop Xbox Boxing Academy] beat Alexandra Richards [Miguels ABC] by split decision.

Elite A - 51kg: Monika Markowska [Jersey Leonis ABC] beat Mariluz Peral Hernandez [VS Boxing Club] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 54kg: Nina Hughes [Chadwell St Mary ABC] beat Ceri-Anne Casey [O'Dell's Community Pride ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 57kg - Group A: Amanda Millere [Boxing Club R?ga] beat Calli Bushell [Jersey Leonis ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 57kg - Group B: Amy Timlin [Cleary's ABC] beat Charlotte Powell [Anfield] by split decision.

Elite A - 60kg - Group A: Sadie Thomas [Headland ABC] beat Sian O'Toole [Frankie Gavin's Ringside ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 60kg - Group A: Shona Whitwell [St Ives Boxing Academy] beat Shereen Hutton [Aspire] by walkover.

Elite A - 60kg - Group B: Simone Thompson [Lambton Street ABC] beat Hayley Weller [Moulescoomb BC] by the referee stopping the contest

Elite A - 64kg: Chelsey Heijnen [Aleco Boks Academier] beat Sarah Dunne [Bury ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 64kg: Oriance Lunghu [Haringey] beat Katie Flynn [No Limits] by split decision.

Junior B - 48kg [Final]: Courtney Partridge [Chadwell St Mary ABC] beat Paige Risker [TTW Golden Girls] by the referee stopping the contest.

Junior B - 50kg [Final]: Phoebe Griffiths-Johnson [Bognor ABC] beat Hayley Riddle [Belvedere ABC] by unanimous decision.

Junior B - 54kg [Final]: Katie Clegg [Tameside Elite] beat Shannon Moore [TTW Golden Girls] by split decision.

Junior A - 50kg - Group B [Final]: Chantel Whiting [Intense ABC Plymouth] beat Sadie Whiteland [Bletchley ABC] by unanimous decision.

Junior A - 66kg [Final]: Leanne Murphy [Togher BC] beat Ciara Hodnett [Wildcard-ABC] by unanimous decision.

Youth C - 57kg [Final]: Georgia Keast [Tamworth Boxing] beat Amy Burgess [TTW Golden Girls] by unanimous decision.

Youth C - 60kg - Group B [Final]: Niamh McNamara [Castlerea Boxing Club] beat Lacey Whiting [Riverside BC] by the referee stopping the contest.

Youth B - 57kg [Final]: Abbie McKay [Salisbury ABC] beat Jade Childs [TTW Golden Girls] by split decision.

Youth A - 57kg [Final]: Elise Glynn [Hook & Jab] beat Maya Robertson [White Rose] by unanimous decision.

Youth A - 64kg [Final]: Gemma Richardson [Scunthorpe Boxing Club] beat Harli Whitwell [St Ives Boxing Academy] by the referee stopping the contest.

Youth A - 60kg [Final]: Wanessa Orczyk [Scunthorpe Boxing Club] beat Daisy Preston [Salford] by unanimous decision.

Youth A - 81kg [Final]: Gabriel? Diekontait? [BK Olimpietis] beat Madara Brikmane [Boxing Club R?ga] by retirement.

 DAY TWO (ALL FINALS)

 Juniors 

Junior B - 57kg - Group A: Stephanie Horrocks [Tameside Elite] beat Justina Žvigait? [BK Olimpietis] by unanimous decision.

Junior B - 57kg - Group B: Shassan Dutton [Salisbury ABC] beat Lola Hannant [Riverside BC] by the referee stopping the contest.

Junior B - 63kg - Group A: Emily Monks [NWR Women Warriors] beat Beau Pape [TTW Golden Girls] by unanimous decision.

Junior B - 63kg - Group B: Jillyjean Newton Westlake [Intense ABC Plymouth] beat Katie Grover [Strood] by split decision.

Junior B - 70kg: Loleta Spencer [Wellingboro ABC] beat Charlotte Burns [TTW Golden Girls] by split decision.

Junior A - 50kg - Group A: Kelsey Oakley [Priory Park] beat Roxanne Fraser [Haringey] by the referee stopping the contest.

Junior A - 52kg: Holly Heffron [Heart of Portsmouth] beat Sophie Sansam [Tommy Coyle Boxing Academy] by unanimous decision.

Junior A - 52kg: Patrycja Gnatowska [Tamworth Boxing] beat Mia Holland [Priory Park] by split decision.

Junior A - 60kg - Group A: Courtney Scott [Headland ABC] beat Kamile Poskauskyte [Harrow] by unanimous decision.

Junior A - 60kg - Group B: Hollie Towl [Worksop Xbox Boxing Academy] beat Vivien Parsons [Afewee Boxing Club] by unanimous decision.

Junior A - 70kg: Ellouise Challenger [Downend Police ABC] beat Lisa O Rourke [Castlerea Boxing Club] by unanimous decision. 

Youths 

Youth C - 51kg: Nicola Sayer [Salisbury ABC] beat Jennifer Beech [Towerhill] by unanimous decision.

Youth C - 60kg - Group A: Becky Hopwood [Salopian] beat Orlagh Berry [Doublejab ABC] by unanimous decision.

Youth C - 60kg: Sinead O'Neil [TTW Golden Girls] beat Jessica-Ann Gull [O'Dells Community Pride ABC] by unanimous decision.

Youth A - 48kg: Ellie Hibbert [NWR Women Warriors] beat Morgan Ansell [Cleary's ABC] by split decision.

Youth A - 54kg: Savannah Stubley [Empire School of Boxing] beat Maisie Courtney [Repton BC] by split decision.

 Elites 

Elite C - 48kg: Jonita Jabbal [London Community Boxing] beat Seema Aggarwal [Repton BC] by split decision.

Elite C - 51kg: Cristina Planas [Left Hook] beat Rachel Ovens [Worksop Xbox Boxing Academy] by the referee stopping the contest.

Elite C - 57kg - Group A: Colleen Roach [Left Hook] beat Abigail Wawman [St.Gerards] by retirement.

Elite C - 57kg - Group B: Amie Clarke [Birtley] beat Pamela King [Felbridge and East Grinstead ABC] by the referee stopping the contest.

Elite C - 60kg - Group A: Natalie Harris [Jersey Leonis ABC] beat Lou Vidor [Bright Star Boxing] by unanimous decision.

Elite C - 60kg - Group B: Katie Wawman [St.Gerards] beat Claire Purvis [TTW Golden Girls] by unanimous decision.

Elite C - 64kg: Victoria Azzaretti [Sweatbox Boxing Club] beat Madison Birrell [Jersey Leonis ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite C - 69kg: Bronwyn Browne [Wessex ABC] beat Billie Donaldson [Whitehaven & District ABC] by split decision.

Elite C - 81kg: Cindy Ngamba [NWR Women Warriors] beat Lauren Morris [Moulescoomb BC] by unanimous decision.

Elite B - 48kg: Ella Harris [Miguels ABC] beat Amy Aspinall [TTW Golden Girls] by split decision.

Elite B - 51kg - Group A: Michelle Klich [Team Greaves] beat Chiara Gregoris [Hic Sunt Leones] by split decision.

Elite B - 51kg - Group B: Nycole Hayes [Togher BC] beat Clare Gillham [St Marys BC, Chatham] by split decision.

Elite B - 57kg: Paulina Biernat [Left Hook] beat Zoe Hefford [Doublejab ABC] by split decision.

Elite B - 60kg: Jenifer Fernandez Romero [VS Boxing Club] beat Michelle Cox [NWR Women Warriors] by split decision.

Elite B - 64kg: Charlie Wild [Aspire] beat Jordan Barker [Lambton Street ABC] by split decision.

Elite B - 69kg: Ileana Ingram [Aston ABC] beat Kerry Haley [Houghton District] by split decision.

Elite A - 48kg: Marie Connan [Left Hook] beat Miriam Zouhou [Stratford upon Avon] by split decision.

Elite A - 51kg: Nicola Hopewell [Worksop Xbox Boxing Academy] beat Monika Markowska [Jersey Leonis ABC] by split decision.

Elite A - 54kg: Nina Hughes [Chadwell St Mary ABC] beat Carly Skelly [North Mersey] by split decision.

Elite A - 57kg - Group A: Amy Andrew [Haringey] beat Amanda Millere [Boxing Club R?ga] by split decision.

Elite A - 57kg - Group B: Amy Timlin [Cleary's ABC] beat Lindsey Buczynskyj [Halliwell ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 60kg - Group A: Shona Whitwell [St Ives Boxing Academy] beat Sadie Thomas [Headland ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 60kg - Group B: Simone Thompson [Lambton Street ABC] beat Jade Pearce [Wellington ABC] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 64kg: Chelsey Heijnen [Aleco Boks Academier] beat Oriance Lunghu [Haringey] by unanimous decision.

Elite A - 69kg: Omarah Taylor [Firewalker] beat Hannah Shield [TTW Golden Girls] by split decision.