[James]

Barry bids for boxing semis

Published Date:
25 April 2008

By Simon Newstead

In-form Barry Buchanan is set to face a former Big Brother contestant in the quarter-finals of a national boxing competition.

The West Hill welterweight ace will take on Anthony Agogo in the Senior ABA Championships at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield, on Friday.

West Hill's head coach Dave Bishop said: "The way he's carrying on at the moment, he's got a chance of going all the way. He's up there with the elite boys and holding his own."

Home Counties and Eastern Counties Champion Agogo, a runner-up in Big Brother Celebrity Hijack, won a gold medal at the World Cadet Under-17 Championships in 2005.

But Buchanan is in the form of his life following a tremendous 18-6 points victory over Combined Services Champion Mark Flowers in last weekend's pre quarter-finals.

Flowers, a class act from The Royal Navy, had no answer as the shorter Buchanan slipped his shots perfectly, scoring really heavily to the body and when coming over the top with left hands.

"It was absolutely fantastic. He was the only Southern Counties representative to win and he boxed even better than before (when clinching the Southern Counties title)," added Bishop.

Buchanan's marked improvement is being attributed to the frequent intense sparring sessions he has been having with Shane McGuigan, son of former World Champion Barry.

Should he defeat Lowestoft-based 19-year-old Agogo, of the Triple A club, Buchanan will advance to the semi-finals which are being held at the same venue tomorrow .

New junior Connor Sime is due to make his first appearance at a club show presented by Meridian ABC in Charlton tonight. Senior Kellen Leimetter is also matched.

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