BOXING: TEY Lynn-Jones, 19, made it through to the national finals of the ABA Novices competition last year only to suffer heartbreak in the event held in Lincolnshire.

The gutsy pugilist, who fights for Tilbury Dockers ABC but lives in Grays, battled his way through to the ABA novices final but lost out to Manchester’s Reece Cartwright.

But a niggling hand sprain was behind the loss which saw the talented local man – who also plays football for Tilbury reserves – battle his way through ABA quarter finals in Surrey, where he stopped Oliver Edwards (from Orpington) in the second round. It was in this bout that he picked up the hand injury.

A week later his opponent in the ABA semi-final in Birmingham was Norso Onwogbusi, a tall tricky southpaw from Finchley. Lynn-Jones won this one on points.

An although the fighter, who was representing his county, lost in the final he’s set his sights on the ABA’s Elite competition and is currently training six nights a week, including doing road work helped out by Harriers supremo David Staines.

More news from the Tilbury Dockers is that 11-year-old Warren Scopes is looking like a lad to watch. At the recent Clacton show he did battle against a talented Holland Shore fighter.

This was his first bout and the borough boy boxed really well to secure a points win over Alfie Dawson.