MERLIN'S Asif Akhtar took a grip on a Unibox Central Belt with a convincing performance at Leamington Spa.
This was a first challenge for the 23-year-old as he took on Nav Manku from host club Cleary's for the vacant intermediate light-welterweight belt but he made the most of his chance and the force of too many clean shots forced the referee to stop the bout shortly before the end of the third and final round.
At Small Heath in Birmingham, Sonny Johal of Merlin had the better of the final round to take a split decision against home boxer Connor Goodchild.
It was the 16-year-old's second successive win and leaves him in good shape to go for the new national competition in the new year.
Following the widespread changes voted through by the sport's governing body, the Amateur Boxing Association of England is to be known as England Boxing from January 1 and one of the further changes coming in to force is that boxers will now not be classed as seniors until they are 19.
That has led to the launch of the England Boxing Youth Championships.
The association finals are to be held by January 26, followed by a pre quarter-final against the North West on February 23, for boxers born in 1996 and 1997.
The intention is to plug the gap that would otherwise exist between the Junior and Senior Championships.
Two more Merlin boxers were in action at Small Heath, with middleweight Bon Mafuta making it four wins out of four in his first season by unanimously beating Omar Ismaili (Bartley Green) but Jake Morgan lost a close split decision against Jake Mulpeter (Small Heath).
At Walsall Football Club's Bescot Stadium, 13-year-old Hassan Manan scored an impressive points victory over Liam McCarthy (Red Corner).
Macauley Cartwright was also a winner at Walsall, unanimously outpointing Liam Gould of Birmingham club William Perry.
After an even first round, the 16-year-old Trinity southpaw stepped up the pace with body punches and a solid left hand to the head midway through the second.
Gould made a determined effort in the last round but Cartwright's counter punches clinched the victory.
