BASINGSTOKE ABC boxer Hannah Latonero became the club’s first ever female champion in Cannock last Sunday.

Latonero boxes in the 46kg to 48kg division, despite only weighing 45kg, due to there being no opponents in that weight class. But the step up in weight did not hold her back.

After a semi-final win over Laura Swindells in Portsmouth, Latonero was back in the ring for the national final against Welwyn Garden City’s Jade Phypers.

Phypers had the advantage in weight and experience, but Latonero had won a close, hard bout against her before.

And the fight went the same way as the last between the two, with the more solid right hand shots being the deciding factor.

The decision was split between the judges, but the majority went for Latonero, which earned her a national title despite the fact she only took up the sport less than a year ago.

Coach Jeff Mitchell said: “Everyone at Basingstoke ABC is proud of Hannah’s achievements, which are testament to her hard work and dedication to the sport.”

The day before, Oakridge middleweight Bryce Logan took a bout at less than 24 hours notice to guest for a Southern Counties select team against a Home Counties select team.

Logan fought Blackbird Leys’ Jack Hill, whose opponent had pulled out earlier.

It was a good bout on paper, pitching a regional champion and an open class boxer against each other. But once in the ring it was all one way traffic for Logan as he dropped Hill twice from right hands for two counts, earning him a unanimous decision and helping the South to win the match 5-4.

The week before, Jacob Gabriel was on the wrong end of a bad decision in the National ABA Novice championship finals in Sunderland.

The Popley light-welterweight was always in control against the strong but limited Chris Shepard of Bolton’s Halliwell ABC. Gabriel boxed with skill and accuracy for four rounds, out manouvering the advancing Shepard and countering his attacks with eye catching combinations.

After four rounds, both Basingstoke coaches in the corner agreed Gabriel had it in the bag, so it came as a shock when the verdict was given the other way, by split decision, to Shepard, denying the Popley fighter the title.