Youths category introduced to Developments

A Youth category is to be introduced for the first time at next season’s England Boxing National Development Championships.

It will be the first-time boxers at Youth level will have been able to enter in the 20-year history of the event.

The move was first proposed by the Championship Sub-committee and has subsequently been put out to the regional associations for consultation before the change has been agreed by the England Boxing Board.

In order to make room in the programme for this to happen, the Senior category will be reduced to a single class for boxers who have competed in 5 to 20 bouts, as opposed to the previous A and B classes.

“The decision to omit Youths at the Developments was agreed a long time ago and there is no evidence available to suggest why,” said Competitions and Events Manager Lynsey Lockey.

“Over the last year there has been several requests for a Youth category to be introduced and the demand for its introduction has been growing.

“Following consultation, there seems to be a strong consensus that this will be a positive step and bridge the current gap between Junior and Senior boxers at Development level.”

The table below shows the previous developments programme and the changes to be adopted from the 2020-21 season onwards.