Boxing: Double boost for Easton in amateur championships

THE Scottish amateur boxing championships prelims at Coatbridge were doubly satisfying for Craigmillar's reigning Scottish senior light-welterweight champion Jason Easton.

Easton swept to a semi-final berth this coming Saturday courtesy of two commanding victories - as rival James Thomson, of the 1314 club, crashed out 6-4, to Dunfermline southpaw Calum Susans.

Easton beat Aberdeen's Granite City club opponent Marek Laskowski by 16-7. Then he posted an even more impressive 9-0 points shutout against Kingswell club rival Elias Gear to book his semi-final place.

However, Easton's lightweight clubmate Tony James had the misfortune to draw Lochend's 2010 Commonwealth Games Silver medallist Josh Taylor, who left James crumpled in his own ring corner in round one.

Holyrood middleweight Louise Mitchell was one of several of the Craigmillar-based club's boxers to shine. The gritty Mitchell booked her final place against Aberdonian Katie Atkin by beating North West's Jackie Ralston in fine style.

Not to be upstaged, welterweight Chris Givan overcame Queensferry's Gary Collins by 8-1 while Holyrood heavyweight David Smiley won narrowly over Springhill opponent Stuart Henderson by 5-3.

Holyrood's Martyn Warner won his first prelim against Clydebank's Martin Harkin by a hugely impressive 11-5 margin but lost his quarter-final bout 9-0 to Dunfermline's Susans.

Midlothian middleweight Scott Grant's gamble of moving up to light-heavyweight backfired as he lost on points to Alloa's Scott Hartley by 4-0 while Lochend light-welterweight Lewis Benson failed to impress in losing by 3-2 to Cleland's Darren McGinn in a dull bout. And Lochend's featherweight title hope Kevin Skey lost yet again to his Zetland bogeyman Bryce Stewart.

Seasoned Scottish internationalist and champion from Renfrewshire Aston Brown knew just too much for Leith Victoria's British Universities welterweight champion Alistair Hardie, who was halted in round two.

At lightweight, Kirkcaldy Kingdom club's Barry Ritchie beat Leith Vics rival Sean White by 6-0 while reigning Scottish light-heavyweight champion Kevin Bruce eased to a convincing 7-2 win over Aberdonian Peter Donald.