'The Bullet' shoots down another swiftly

Conna Hincks has been told to stick to his boxing in the England Junior Development championships - despite two first round stoppages!

The teenager from Wolverhampton has put away his last two opponents swiftly and also scored a standing count in his first contest,

The 15-year-old from Bilston, nicknamed 'the Bradley Bullet,' shot down his Merseyside counterpart in just 10 seconds on Sunday afternoon.

Hincks, who represents Merridale Boxing Club, heavily dropped Patrick Maughan with a loaded right back-hand that landed flush on the chin.

Maughan, from Wildcard in Liverpool, was busy trying to fend off a punch combination and barely saw the money shot coming through.

He landed flat out on the mat and answered the count on wobbly legs but the referee, controversially, was prepared to let him box on.

Hincks cornered him and prepared to attack again with Maughan's corner taking decisive action, throwing in the towel to end the bout.

It put the Black Country prospect into this weekend's national quarter-finals at 66kg in Class A, for boxers born in 2000, against his rival from the North-West rival.

Merridale coach Zabir Ajaz said: "We were all surprised at how quickly the fight ended and, really, the referee should have stepped in sooner.

"The lad didn't want to move, he was wobbling when he got up and, in the end, the corner had the good sense to do something about it.

"He was supposed to be a good boxer and Conna didn't go in looking for the knockout, he was just using the shots we've been working on.

"Switch hitting overwhelmed him and the punch that put him over had a lot of power behind it."

The big right hand forced two standing counts against Corey Gilks in the first minute of the West Midlands final, the finish coming seconds later.

Brad Willets, from Priory Park in Dudley, lasted the distance but was decked himself in the second round, as Hincks' power first became evident.

Trainer Ajaz reckons his fighter is on a roll that could lead him all the way to glory, as Merridale seek their second national champion in just two-and-a-half years of existence.

Ajaz said: "He's really up for this and has worked hard in the gym, for what has been a really good camp. He's got an excellent chance.

"He's sharp and fast on the pads and, after these results, his confidence is sky high, but he's still got the right attitude and is a humble kid.

"Whoever comes next, we'll take them seriously. There won't be any showing off, he'll just go in there and box. He's got enough skill and power to mix it up."

Walsall Wood's Hamza Ahmed joined him in Class A's next phase at 57kg, with a unanimous points victory over Wirral's Thomas Berry.

But Ryan Cotterell, from Richie Carter's Golden Gloves in Wolverhampton, lost on a split decision to Warrington's Bailey Smith at 60kg.

Another West Midlands entrant was eliminated at 63kg in Class B (1999), on that day of action at the Newdigate Social Club in Bedworth.

Priory Park's Finbar Patrick bowed out to Birkenhead's Leon Detlass unanimously, after previously recording the same verdict against Warley's Amir Ali.

There was a Class A walk-over at 40kg for Niall Felton, from the Brooklands club in Dudley ran by retired professional Darren McDermott.

One Black Country girl in Class A at 52kg is another with a bye, with Wednesbury's Maria Bishop still awaiting her first bout in the tournament.

Also through without boxing last weekend in Class B is Brooklands' Harry Conlan at 54kg.