Boxing: Dale miss out in ABA shake-up

FOR THE first time in living memory,Dale Youth Club will have no-one in the second round of the ABA Championships.

Which, for a club that has produced, FIVE champions on the trot is a major disappointment.

But the coach of the North Kensington outfit, Mickey Delaney, put a brave face on his free weekends from now until May, where he's all but had a season ticket to the finals.

Lee Beavis, Olympic gold medallist James Degale (twice), and Georgie Groves (twice), have all stood highest on the podium since 2002 - but none of the current Dale crop had their gloves raised at Brent Town Hall last week.

Louis Reed (middleweight), Tommy Teare (light-welter) and Groves' younger brother,Frankie, all lucked out, although Delaney promised that wouldn't be the end of the Dale production line.

He said: "Not this year,but we have at least two for the future that have the potential to lift titles."