HENRY’S Gym boxer George Davey is the new 69kg Northern Area amateur champion after defeating title-holder Lewis Mullineux in Liverpool.

Davey, 20, won a split decision at Mullineux’s home club Seacombe Allandale and is now the leading contender for the English belt.

After shaking his opponent in the first round, Davey was on the front foot in the next two looking for a stoppage, before being declared a deserved points winner.

Davey is trained at the Acomb gym of York’s former World Championship challenger Henry Wharton, who was delighted by his fighter’s performance, adding: “George was up against a top-class opponent, so we knew he would be up against it, but he had won in Whitehaven the week before against one of the best kids in the country and he just did what he’s capable of doing again.

“He didn’t have to fight out of his skin or anything like that and, while he was a clear winner, he got the split decision which, away from home, is a big achievement and shows how good he was. He’s also been pushing for England selection for a while and, winning this belt, strengthens his claims.”

Davey’s victory means there are now seven belts in the Regent Building club, with the possibility of increasing that tally to nine this weekend.

The York Road venue will be hosting its latest show on Saturday night, when two of the gym’s titles will be defended and another two will be contested by the host club’s boxers.

Doors open at 7pm with tickets costing £15 for adults and £7 for under-16s, with the highlight promising to be a local match-up between Yorkshire Challenge belt holder Nathan Shepherd and Legions Gym’s Carl Grayson.