Lexi puts Great Wyrley gym on the map

The 13-year-old, who dedicates four days a week to honing her craft, was put through her paces in the England Boxing National Schools Championships 2021 final in Newcastle on Sunday.

She faced Demi-Rose Greenidge of Finchley ABC – Anthony Joshua’s old gym – in an entertaining bout and came away with an unanimous points decision. Walker was also hailed as the best female boxer of the tournament and has secured a place on the England Boxing Talent Champions day in Leicester at the end of October.

Great Wyrley ABC founder Peter Hickenbottom said: “To say we’re proud of Lexi is an understatement. I’ve waited 22 years for this to happen and it’s not only put Lexi right up there, but has also put our gym on the map.

“I think Lexi has got a great future in the sport. She is very single minded, very determined, and now she’s on the England talent day in October. I think that the coaches there will see what we see down the gym. A hard working young girl who fights with an intensity rarely seen in girls of her age.

“In the space of four weeks we’ve produced four midlands champions and a national champion, not bad for a small gym in Staffordshire, and with the squad of boxers we’ve got hopefully we’ll have a few more champions in the next few months.”

Great Wyrley also had 12-year-old Midlands champion Alfie Till fighting in the finals, but he lost to William Loveridge when the bout was stopped with 20 seconds to go because of a nose bleed Till had sustained.

In the semi-finals, which took place the day before the final, 14-year-old Midlands champion Lucas Wain fell to an unanimous points defeat to Ollie Strand.

Meanwhile, Pleck hopeful Patrick Purcell lost in the final to Repton’s Humza Malik.

The club had high hopes for the 13-year-old, who is the cousin of undefeated professional Dennis McCann, but he fell to defeat by unanimous decision.