Boardman is tipped for the top

BACK in the 1950s and 60s the name Boardman in boxing circles meant a smart boxing lightweight from Connecticut called Larry Boardman.

The American beat four fellow American world champions - Wallace "Bud" Smith, Jimmy Carter, Paddy Demarco and Sandy Saddler - in one single year - 1956.

Now, an exciting new kid on the local amateur boxing block - Danny Boardman - has emerged from the Danderhall-based Elston Cadell club. Classy young Haddington-based flyweight counter puncher Danny is the son of former Eastern District middle and light heavyweight champion David Boardman.

Boardman senior even took German future world pro champion Markus Bott the distance in the 1987 European Championships and also collected the ring scalp of Edinburgh’s tough and talented Sean Heron in a championship bout.

Surprisingly David Boardman admits: "I took no part in influencing my son’s decision to box. In fact I actually took down all my boxing trophies from the living room because I didn’t particularly want Danny to box but after seeing him win his bout with Fraser Watson whom he beat (by 14-7 pts) I think he has definite ring potential."

That’s a point of view seconded by both of smart 14-year-old counter puncher David Boardman’s Danderhall club cornermen - Ally Quilleti and Keith McArdle.

McArdle won titles boxing for the Edinburgh Transport Club while scrapping with guys like English legend John Lyon who won four British ABA flyweight titles between 1986-89. Quilleti said: "Danny is a natural counter puncher, a clever boxer who is still learning and has a great hunger to learn all he can about becoming a good boxer."

Agreed McArdle: " He may still be a novice but I think young Danny has the talent to become a great little boxer although he obviously has a long way to go."

Knox Academy Haddington pupil Danny Boardman said: "I love boxing and I like to box my way to wins not just slam away any old way at my opponents. Ally and Keith are both good trainers and they encourage me a lot by stressing that it’s better to box and pick your punches than charge in - that’s why I like to counter punch."

Meanwhile, Elston Cadell club coach Quilleti said: "Proud though we are about young Danny Boardman, we are no one-man band when it comes to talent in the ring. We also have another promising youngster 14-year-old light welterweight Grant Watson who is hard to match because, at 5ft 7ins tall there are not many 14-year-olds around like him.

"Nevertheless with budding talents like Danny Boardman and Grant Watson we at the Elston Cadell club are really optimistic about our future."

Having seen budding flyweight ace Danny Boardman beat Cardenden’s Fraser Watson with a stylish display of counter punching last weekend on Fifer Watson’s home kingdom patch, that is a personal opinion that I am happy to endorse."

RICKY HATTON is relishing a major world title shot in the new year after passing his last big test in Manchester last night.

Hatton stopped brave American Mike Stewart two minutes and 57 seconds into round five at the MEN Arena to successfully defend his WBU light-welterweight title for the 14th time.