A quintet of Halliwell ABC boxers are through to national pre-quarters of the England Boxing/Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) National Development Championships this weekend.

The latest two boxers to progress were Adam Mirga and Sam Akinsete, who both won in style becoming North West regional champions against tough opposition last weekend.

They join three other boxers from the club based at the Elite Gym preparing to box at Blackburn’s Audley Centre.

The five are Akinsete (80kg senior), Mirga (80kg youth), Ely Muya (heavyweight), Aimal Sharifi (54kg senior) and Laura Jane (60kg female senior) - who has a bye to the quarter-finals.

Akinsete was pleased to get through on Saturday and said: “It has been a good couple of weeks of boxing.

“On Saturday I fought for the North West final and beat last year’s champion, who was also in the national final.

“It was a great fight to watch.

“Now I’m on to the national pre-quarters, on my way to winning my national title hopefully.”

It was not just the amateurs shining for the Halliwell club either with Elite duo Imad Naseeb and Yousif Saeed also in action on Saturday night at the VIP Boxing show at the Toughsheet Stadium.

Featherweight Naseeb, aged 26, made it two professional wins from two with a unanimous points decision (40-36) after four rounds against veteran Mancunian Steven Maguire.

Meanwhile, welterweight Saeed saw off 36-year-old Londoner, Lee Hallett, by the same unanimous points total on the same bill to make his record also two wins from two pro bouts.

Both fights could have been stopped earlier as the Elite boxers impressed head coach Alex Matvienko.

He said after a busy Saturday of both amateur and pro action: “Life as a boxing coach is busy but days like today make it all worthwhile - very proud.

“We now have five North West champions through to pre-quarters this weekend at Blackburn.”