Archive for the ‘Boxing News’ Category
THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS YOUNG LIFE
Luke Cope made an early exit at the National Schoolboys Championship, but not after producing his finest ever display.
The teenage Gus Robinson Developments ABC starlet was beaten by Birtley wonderkid Isaac Milburn at the Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring on Saturday.
However, the Stranton House camp and the Cope family were left feeling proud of the 14-year-old who came within a whisker of defeating a talented young boxer who is rated as one of the best in Europe.
Luke and Isaac finished 31-31 after one of the best junior bouts ever seen in this region and the bout went to punch countback, Milburn winning by virtue of only four more shots.
Cope started brilliantly and led by four points after a breathtaking first round and he led by one going into the last after Milburn had won the middle round.
However, the Birtley boxer used his skill and experience to pull the contest level in the last and then nicked it on countback.
Gus Robinson Developments team-mate Ryan Brown received a bye through to the next stage of the competition.
HARTLEPOOL HERE WE COME.
Peter Cope’s ‘Barmy Army’ have their first chance to watch their young hero go into battle in his home town.
The Gus Robinson boxer will box at the Borough Hall on Sunday, March 25, when Hartlepool’s most successful ever boxer Michael Hunter makes his comeback after 30 months out of the ring.
It will be Hunter’s ninth appearance at the to the iconic Headland venue (seven of his visits have been in major championship bouts) but it will be Cope’s first pro visit.
“I can’t wait,” said the unbeaten pro.
“To box on another big show in front of a big crowd is great but to be doing it in Hartlepool is fantastic.”
Cope has built up a big following during his career, taking a three-figure travelling support to Doncaster, Sunderland, Houghton and Peterlee in his short yet exciting career.
He is in training for the show and can be seen pounding the streets with the comeback man, though that has had its frustration to a young man who loves to run.
“I like to have my earphones in when I run, I love to listen to music,” said Cope. “But when I’ve been out running with Micky he’s said ‘no music’ and he’s talked to me all the way around!”
LORD OF THE MANOR?
Exciting Gus Robinson Developments ABC boxer Danny Cope gets an opportunity to fight in his home town when he headlines Hartlepool Catholic Club’s first show of 2012.
The Catholic Club are staging 15 bouts at the Owton Manor Social Club on Owton Manor Lane on Friday night.
Cope has been matched with Middlesbrough’s Kallum Leather in an eagerly anticipated derby bout.
The eldest of the Cope fighting brothers reached the final of the National ABA Novices championship only to lose out 34-28 in a cracker Ronnie Nwkakeze of Waltham Forest ABC.
The Gus Robinson Developments prospect enjoyed the run of success in the tournament and can now put those skills and confidence to good use on the club show circuit.
“The whole experience was great but I just wanted to bring back the national title,” he said.
“Hopefully I will come back stronger and hopefully get better and better.”
His Gus Robinson Developments team-mate Liam Rowbotham is also boxing on the show this Friday.
Liam lost on his debut, at Easington, but coaches Tony Martin and Wayne Short know the 14-year-old is working hard and will come good.
“The opponent was stronger and Liam stood toe-to-toe and you can’t do that,” said Short.
“He will learn and he has a lot of boxing ahead of him to put things right.”
THE END OF AN ERA.
Nigel Wright’s boxing career, which has spanned four decades, looks like being over after the British Boxing Board of Control voted not to give the Gus Robinson star a new licence.
Wright’s challenge for Ashley Theophane’s British light-welterweight title in December was called off just days before the big promotion at Peterlee Leisure Centre after a problem had been detected on Nigel’s brain scan.
The plates were sent to a panel of specialists and their view was the same as the original verdict.
Wright, it seems, has suffered a bleed at some point and medical advice is that he should not box again.
Nigel has not spoken publicly yet about the Board’s decision but his coach Peter Cope said it was “devastating” news.
“It’s heartbreaking for Nigel and everyone associated with him and our gym,” said Cope.
“I’m certain if he’d fought Theophane he would be the British champion now.
“Nigel must be one of the unluckiest boxers to have ever got into a ring.
“Luck has gone against him so many times.
“Yes, he’s had a great career, won titles as an amateur and boxed all over the world, and he’s done great as a pro as well. But it is frustrating that Nigel has not got we he deserved and that’s a British title.
“He’s had a couple of decisions go against him, people have ducked him and when he fought for the Commonwealth title, who did he box? Some kid from Africa who’d had a handful of fights like you see sometimes? No, he got world top 10-rated Ajose Olusegun.
“Nigel has had a couple of chances as well, I’m not denying that, but I don’t think he had any luck at all.
“I’ve spoken to Nigel and I hope he calls it a day.
“He has three beautiful girls at home, his wife and two young daughters, and he has a good job at Spennymoor Leisure Centre.
“Nigel has a wonderful life ahead of him and I’d like to see him concentrate on that.”
Peter added: “I’m gutted for myself, I am in the gym on a night and I keep expecting Nigel to walk in and start training.
“He’s been a massive part of my life since I came to work for Gus here and it’s an awful empty feeling.”
Wright’s career win tally stands at 24 and is unbeaten in six English championship contests. The 32-year-old drew one and lost only six times
LUKE AT HIM GO!
Luke Cope is just like his other three boxing brothers, Peter, Daniel and Adam … he’s a winner.
The 14-year-old Gus Robinson Developments ABC starlet has picked up a couple of notable victories.
Selected to fight for a Tyne, Tees and Wear Select team against a Scottish squad at Peterlee, Luke defeated Matthew Middleton 26-4.
Luke showed his usual high-quality movement and punching accuracy to win the three rounds 7-0, 5-2 and 14-2 at East Durham College, much to the delighted of Gus Robinson ABC coaches Tony Martin and Wayne Short.
“It was probably his best performance yet,” said Short.
“Everything came together well and he just put in a very good show.
“The other lad gave it a good go but Luke was just one step ahead all the way through.”
The English Martyrs School pupil was also a winner at the Easington club show at the Easington Welfare, beating South Durham ABC’s James Cowie.
“He just keeps getting better and better,” added Wayne.
FOUR HE’S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW.
Peter Cope lifted the spirits of the Gus Robinson gym by recording his fourth win of his professional career.
The 20-year-old defeated Welshman Chuck Jones at Peterlee Leisure Centre on a night when Nigel Wright had hoped to pay tribute Gus by beating Ashley Theophane and winning his late manager a British title.
Nigel, sadly, was forced to pull out on medical grounds but Peter Cope did fight and outboxed Jones for a 40-36 victory.
Young Peter produced some exciting stuff, particularly in the first three rounds, against the tough Welsh opponent.
“I was happy with the fight,” said coach and dad Peter.
“Peter is still building his experience – he is only 20 and that was just his fourth fight.
“He is learning and improving all the time and his attitude is out of the top drawer.
“It was nice for the gym that Peter won, it’s been a hard time for everyone, first losing Gus, and then seeing Nigel’s fight get called off.
“Gus was our supporter, friend and mentor and it has been a harrowing time for everyone connected with the gym.
“He would have wanted us to go on, be professional and do well and I think we’ve done that.”
WELL DONE MY SONS
Gus Robinson boxing’s head coach, Peter Cope, has spoken of his pride at the way 2011 finished for his fighting sons.
Professional prospect Peter Cope Jnr ended the year with his fourth straight win while Gus Robinson Developments ABC star Danny Cope reached the final of the ABA Novices Championship.
Danny’s appearance in the big showpiece event in Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre ended in a 32-26 defeat to Waltham Forest’s Ronnie Nwkakeze, but there was no disgrace in losing out in the high-scoring match.
Peter Snr said: “Daniel was honest enough to say he had lost but getting to the final was a great achievement for him and the gym.
“He has done very well this year and worked hard with Tony and Wayne and I hope he kicks on from here.”
While Danny, 21, missed out on the south coast, there were no problems for younger brother Peter, who extended his winning streak as a pro to four fights by outclassing Chuck Jones on the same night over four rounds.
“We said that if we got four fights for Peter this year that we’d be happy,” said coach and dad, who has two other sons in the Gus Robinson Developments gym, Adam, 15, and Luke, 14.
“I’m proud of all my children and I was torn on the night that I couldn’t get to see Daniel’s final.
“I try to get to see every bout my lads have, but I couldn’t be in two places at once.
“Peter and Daniel have both had fabulous years and they are both improving all the time.”
ANOTHER DEVASTATING BLOW.
Those were the words from Gus Robinson head coach Peter Cope to sum up the late cancellation of Nigel Wright’s British light-welterweight championship challenge against Ashley Theophane.
Wright was “ready” to take on the talented Londoner on Saturday at Peterlee Leisure Centre, where he hoped a packed and partisan crowd would cheer him to victory.
However, there was an issue with Wright’s annual routine brain scan which has been referred to a team of independent specialists by the British Boxing Board of Control.
The verdict from those consultants would not be ready by Saturday so the decision was taken to call off the bout.
“It’s another devastating blow,” said Cope. “I know there is never a good time for something like this, but this could not have come at a worse time.
“Coming less than three weeks after we lost Gus this has come and knocked us all sick.
“Everyone was up for Saturday. We’ll never get over losing Gus, he was our inspiration and our mentor, but we had got on with the job, professionally and thoroughly, as he would have wanted.
“Nigel was ready for Saturday and I was confident that this was going to be our time.
“Yes, Theophane is a good boxer and champion and while we’d had a few injury niggles along the way, Nigel was spot on physically and mentally.
“For this to happen is horrible, Nigel is absolutely shell-shocked.
“He is a proper nice kid, from a nice family, and this is awaful.
“I’m gutted for Nigel and the whole Gus Robinson team, but his health is paramount and all this has to be checked out.
“He is a husband and a dad and his health has got to come first.”
ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL MATCH.
Peter Cope Jnr will face Welshman Chuck Jones in his fourth professional bout at Peterlee Leisure Centre on Thursday night.
The Gus Robinson prospect has so far defeated a Scotsman, Ryan McNicol (twice) and a Latvian, Pavels Senkovs, in a promising start to his career as a pro.
Jones, a 21-year-old from Wales, is his next opponent as he makes his first appearance on a televised show.
Two draws are the only positive results in a nine-fight log for Jones though Cope Jnr is well aware he cannot be taken for granted.
“I know he is a strong boxer who likes to come forward so hopefully that will help me,” said the 20-year-old. “He has fought a lot of unbeaten fighters so his record might be a bit misleading.
“I have to make sure I am prepared and go out and win the fight.”
Cope will be cheered on by his own huge army of fans at Peterlee and he hopes to put on another entertaining performance.
“The people who come along to support me are fantastic and I can’t thank them enough.
“Hopefully I can put on a good show for them.”
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
But the Gus Robinson team are on tenterhooks as they await news on Nigel Wright’s bid for a third crack at the British light-welterweight title.
The British Boxing Board of Control had ordered champ Ashley Theophane to defend against Wright this year and the contest went out to purse bids.
FTM Promotions, the company of Frank Maloney, won the purse bids but, as yet, no date or venue have been officially announced.
Wright has boxed on two events involving FTM Promotions, his English light-welterweight championship wins against Dean Harrison (at Houghton-le-Spring) and Nicki Smedley (in Sheffield).
Wright, manager Gus Robinson and coach Peter Cope are looking forward to working again with the Londoner, but are desperate for some “firm news”.
Cope said: “The date December 10th has been mentioned but nothing formal has been said.
“We’d love the fight to be up in this area but, again, we are waiting for firm news.
“Nigel is fit and he’s training every day but, obviously, not at full pelt.
“He’s a naturally fit lad and he doesn’t abuse his body in any way, but at the age of 32, you can’t be thrashing him day after day and week after week in training.
“We need a concrete day to work to and then we can build our programme.
“Nigel is fine and, mentally, he’s right up for it.”
