LEGIONS Amateur Club have another two national champions in their stable after victories for Leo Atang and Rosanna Bycroft at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle.

Competing in England Boxing’s first major tournament since the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, the pair of Legions boxers won both their semi-final and final bouts to take the gym up to five national champions.

Atang, aged 14, came up against Bailey Giles in his first contest, with the unbeaten Kent boxer providing a challenge from his tall southpaw stance.

In a close fight that was even heading into the last round, Atang emptied his tank and applied plenty of pressure in order to secure a unanimous decision win.

The 76kg boxer then progressed to the final where he boxed Georgie Ives from the famed West Ham ABC, another towering southpaw.

Atang again boxed strongly, this time forcing a standing count in the second round, before winning the verdict of all the judges.

Bycroft meanwhile, boxing at 51kg, faced Scunthorpe’s Sophie Wright in the semi-final. 

The York boxer made a rapid start and twice forced the referee to deliver a standing count, with the official waving off the fight shortly into the second round.

In the final, the 13-year-old then took on the highly-rated Rianna Doforo, who has previously sparred with professional champion Terri Harper.

After a thrilling contest in which both boxers put everything on the line, Bycroft prevailed by a split decision.

Coincidentally, the pair of newly-crowned national champions made their competitive amateur debuts on the same show in Bradford two years ago this week.

Legions Gym’s head boxing coach Ashley Martin hailed the dedication of the pair who continued to train away from the gym amid the country’s lockdowns and have now received their just rewards.

“During the pandemic, a lot of boxers took time off, but I know that a lot of our boxers did train hard, and they were two that did continue training during the pandemic,” he said.

“They’ve both worked on their own personal development as boxers and their physical fitness.

“Both of them have little gym set-ups in their garage, with bags and bits of equipment.

“And at the Gym, we did online sessions and they both were involved in those too.

“That helped them stay and ready for the championships when they came around.”

Elsewhere at the same event, Legions’ Reece Fitzgerald lost a close split decision in his semi-final bout.

Gym-mate Riley Edeson was beaten on a unanimous decision by Ardwick Lads’ John McDonagh in his final at 68kg.

Looking ahead, the Legions boxers will prepare for another national championships shortly after Christmas, with this month’s event the rearranged edition amid the pandemic.

The Clifton Moor-based gym will also be hosting a home club show on Friday, October 22 at the Acomb Working Men’s Club.

The show features recently crowned national champions Atang and Bycroft as well as the following boxers from the Legions Gym: Ethan Cooper, Ruby-May Allan, Macie Allen, Amari Touhey, Reece Fitzgerald, Jay-Jay Butler, Riley Edeson, Reuben Smith, Harrison Barker, Henry Marshall, Jay Carter, Julia Ward, Tom Scaife and Dan Foster.