Boxing: Stemp hams up showdown for squad list

Published on Monday 17 August 2009 09:43

HOLYROOD boxing club's Scottish amateur bantamweight champion Gareth Stemp has been included in a list of fighters who selectors have put in the frame for a Scottish squad place in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, writes BRIAN DONALD.

Stemp's name has been bracketed with Glasgow junior bantam champion Joe Ham and the Capital boxer said: "The decision to bracket my name with Ham's makes our forthcoming clash on September 16 in Auchengeich a whole new ball game."

"Victory for either one of us will stregthen he winner's claim to get a seat on the plane to the 2010 games, so now there is even more at stake. I'll be going all out in my training to ensure that I win next month."

Others listed for the provisional Scottish squad include South Queensferry lightweight Lewis Benson and light-welterweight Chris McHale, while Gilmerton's British lightweight champion, Connor McCallum, is also named, as is Lochend featherweight, Josh Taylor.

At heavyweight, Leith Victoria's Scottish champion Steve Simmons has also been listed but a dearth of native challengers at his weight means Simmons is unlikely to be asked to participate in a box-off, which is likely in other weight divisions.