Charlie loses by split in heavyweight final

Charlie Loughran and his team…heavy fought despite suffering a bug

COVENTRY heavyweight hope Charlie Loughran’s surge for national glory was heartbreaking halted at the final hurdle.

On Sunday, at Cannock Leisure Centre, the teenager lost on split decision in the ABA developments final. The judges favoured opponent Oliver Hockney’s busy style and pressure.

That’s Charlie’s first loss in 15 amateur fights.

He will now dust himself off and compete in Sweden’s “King of the Ring” multi-national tournament next weekend.

Billy Parmar, the 19-year-old’s trainer at Toe 2 Toe ABC, revealed Charlie had been laid low by a bug on the eve of the big weekend.

Charlie refused to pull out and still had enough to outpoint Bletchley’s Joshua Burton by split decision in Saturday’s semi-final.

Billy said: “He was struggling and coughing quite badly. I offered to pull him out, but he wanted to go through with it.

“It meant he had to pick and choice what round to work in – that was my worry. He got away with it on Saturday because the other lad was a bit of a boxer, he didn’t apply constant pressure.

“Hockney’s a pressure fighter who gets up close. He’s had around 24 bouts and that’s right on the limit of the developments. He’s only lost five or six.

“Charlie still wasn’t 100 per cent in the final. It is what it is, you’re going to get a few niggles. Charlie was gutted he didn’t get the decision, he was in tears, but it’s part and parcel of the game. He’s back in the gym today (Wednesday) and we’ll try again.”

Finding opponents for the boxer, who plans to turn pro, isn’t going to get any easier.

Billy added: “We want to get him out there as much as possible, but it’s hard to get him fights. He’s got a good record, he’s known. The ones who will want to fight him have had around 20 fights.

“I’ve got sparring lined-up, but that will be after Sweden now.”