Central’s Cory targets Yorkshire Elite crown

Central EBC’s Cory O’Regan is targeting glory in the Yorkshire Elite ABA Championships this Sunday when he meets Cain Adams in the final.
Cory O'Regan with brother Kieron following his Yorkshire ABA semi-final winCory O'Regan with brother Kieron following his Yorkshire ABA semi-final win
Cory O'Regan with brother Kieron following his Yorkshire ABA semi-final win

O’Regan produced a stunning semi-final win over highly fancied Jack Daniels last weekend to set up the Easter Sunday final showdown in York against Adams, who fights out of the White Rose Club in Wakefield.

Daniels was the number one ranked lightweight (60kg) in the competition but O’Regan took the fight to his opponent, who boxes out of the Tigers Club in Leeds.

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Spectators at ringside commented on how well O’Regan boxed but there was a brief scare for the 19-year-old and his Central team when he lost his gumshield in the final round and was deducted a point.

O’Regan still did enough to have his hand raised at the end of the contest and he knows victory over Adams will see him crowned Yorkshire champion and book a place at the national stage of the Elite ABA’s.

O’Regan is trained by former Dewsbury professional boxer Mally McIver and John Tallant, who are aiming to put Central on the map in the amateur ranks.

It was almost an all Central EBC Yorkshire final as Adams overcame Tom Hirst in his semi-final.

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Central’s Hirst won a quarter-final in Hull but despite boxing well against Adams, he was edged out.

Mally, who boasted a 15-fight professional career, including 12 wins, is a boxing coach at Bradford College, as well as a boxing coach educator and has teamed up with Tallant and fellow trainer Julian McGowan to give promising young fighters a chance.

McGowan trained McIver as a pro, guiding him to a Central Area title shot in December 2003 when he suffered a points decision defeat to Daniel Thorpe in Bradford.

The close knit Central team are striving to bring boxing success to the area, having built their own gym from scratch last summer.

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McIver’s son, Billy, made his amateur debut just two days before his 18th birthday when he defeated Hamed Saghir of Halifax.

Billy McIver is a promising golfer and came second at a tournament held at the Belfry but swapped his clubs for boxing gloves and made a winning start.

Mally McIver and Tallant hold boxing classes at the Central EBC, Field Lane, Batley, each Wednesday between 6pm to 7pm for youngsters aged 11 and over when newcomers are welcome.

Following Sunday’s Yorkshire Elite ABA finals, regional champions will qualify for the national stage, in Liverpool.

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Some qualifiers will have to box a pre quarter-final bout but once the last eight are known, they are divided into north and south.

A draw will be made to determine which boxers receive a bye to the quarter finals and those who are to box at the pre quarter final stage.