Boxing: Lochend ace Skey fired up for Amateur champs scrap

The Eastern Amateur Boxing Youth Championships at Fife's Bowhill Community Centre tomorrow will feature some cracking derby bouts - scraps which could impact on selection for Scottish and Great Britain international squads later this year.

Lochend featherweight Kevin Skey, who starred in Scotland's 8-6 win over Northern Ireland last weekend despite losing his bout by a single point, acknowledged: "I will have to clash with Zetland's Bryce Stewart for the right to not only become Eastern 57kg youth champion but also, now Bryce and I are neck and neck for selection for the Scottish team, the right to win a place in the British championships, so it's going to be some bout.

"Stewart is a smart operator. I've studied him in squad training and sparring sessions but I am equally determined that I will be first choice for the British championships so I'll be going all out to beat him.''

Skey's coach, Terry McCormack, said: "Stewart is a classy boxer and a smart mover but Kevin is absolutely fired up for Saturday's championships and I predict that the real winners will be the ringside fans who will see a cracking bout.''

Lochend coach McCormack is excited about the clash between his flyweight ace Liam Tervert and Midlothian's Scott Brown, who scored an impressive stoppage in 70 seconds for Scotland at Meadowbank last Saturday against Irish boxer Gerald Callaghan.

"Liam Tervert can make bantamweight and he has already fought Brown three times - winning twice - so he will be confident going in to the bout, but after Brown's big punching last week at Meadowbank we will be cautious in our approach, although he has never troubled Tervert with his punchpower in their previous scraps.''

Leith Victoria's light-flyweight Tyler Gibson will compete at Bowhill while lightweight William Stewart of the Tranent "Bronx'' club - unbeaten in five bouts - will also appear.