BOXING: VAUXHALL Motors ABC's Martin Jones has followed team-mate Matty Fagan in reaching the semi-finals of a top national championship.
After making the long journey down to Watford's Sports Academy on Saturday it took Martin less than two minutes to finish off his opponent in his section of the National Association of Clubs for Young People Championships.
The 15-year-old, competing in the 54kg Class C Division for boxers with less than 10 contests, was up against Daniel Jeffers of the Blackbird Leys club.
Coach Peter Phelan said: 'We always try and find out a bit of information on our opponents but nobody seemed to know anything about Jeffers. All we could muster was that he had a 50-50 record from his half-a-dozen contests and was a southpaw. We told Martin to keep moving off to the left and away from his back hand.
'Martin's a strong-willed character and he didn't let the other lad settle properly into his rhythm. He worked well behind the jab and started to feint, catching Jeffers with the back hand, never allowing him to settle and always on top.'
After a standing eight count, the message from the Vauxhall corner was to keep the pressure up and with just 1min 58sec elapsed, the referee stopped the contest just before the bell to signal the end of the first round.
Phelan said: 'There was only going to be one winner and Martin is a prime example of the new wave of talent coming out of the club. Since we moved to our new state-of-the-art gym on Station Road, the club has been going from strength-to-strength.
'The Vauxhall plant have been a big help to us and it's great to have something to show.
'People will obviously talk about our big name, England international Nick MacDonald, but his achievements are just the icing on the cake and it's the endeavours of the likes of Martin and the other young lads that are the heartbeat of our club.'
Martin will now box in the semi-finals at Everton Park, Liverpool, on Saturday, December 11.
Vauxhall Motors ABC are hosting the NACYP Class A Championship finals at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, on Friday, December 10.
Tickets are priced at £25 and available from Peter Phelan on 07971 476 605.
