Boxing: Geraghty hails McCallum for golden show

Published on Monday 29 June 2009 09:59

SCOTTISH amateur boxing team assistant coach Mark Geraghty hailed the brilliant boxing tactics of Gilmerton lightweight Connor McCallum as he retained his British title at Liverpool's Everton Sports Centre.

McCallum made it two gold medals in a row after winning the 60kg crown for boxers born 1991-92, beating England's Steve Bowen 6-2. And afterwards Geraghty said: "Bowen tried to mess Connor about over four rounds but McCallum boxed him off with jabs and stiff uppercuts."

A controversial, narrow 5-4 points verdict deprived Gilmerton southpaw featherweight Josh Taylor of making it a gold medal double for the Capital club. Geraghty added: "Josh had a slow start but I honestly thought that he did enough in the last two rounds to merit victory against his Welsh opponent Joe Gordini."

Meanwhile, Edinburgh's former Scottish amateur middleweight champion Craig McEwan notched up pro win No.16 when he beat Darnell Boone of Ohio on points over eight rounds in Los Angeles on Saturday.

With American ring legend Oscar De La Hoya – who promotes McEwan – cheering him on, the Scot shrugged off an eye cut which later required stitches to beat the American.