HENRY’S Gym now houses nine championship belts after another excellent night of boxing at the Acomb venue.

Nathan Sheperd, Rafal Benka and John-Patrick Harker all ended the evening with Yorkshire titles for the host club, which is owned by York’s former World Championship fighter Henry Wharton.

Jorvik ABC’s Will Harrison also joined the trio on the role of honour, clinching a county crown of his own.

Sheperd defended his Yorkshire Challenge 69kg belt in a local match-up against Legions ABC’s Carl Grayson.

The Henry’s boxer came out on top after a split decision.

Benka overcame Donald Clouden, from Hull’s Tommy Coyle Boxing Academy, to take the Yorkshire 69kg Elite belt, while Harker out-classed Yorkshire 60kg Elite belt opponent Callum Devine, who also hails from Humberside, representing St Paul’s – 2012 London Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell’s former club.

The Yorkshire Challenge under-15 64kg belt, meanwhile, now belongs to Legions after Harrison stopped Leon Simms, of Conisbrough’s St Pauls ABC, in the third round.

Commenting on the evening’s entertainment, Wharton enthused: “Our fighters won eight of 11 bouts and I think it was the best night of amateur boxing in York’s history, with four belt-fights staged. I even heard somebody say: ‘the only way to beat these lads is to knock them out, because you won’t outbox them’.

“Nathan’s fight against Carl Grayson was a bit awkward, because they are the best of pals, but there was still a buzz in the gym, because it was two local clubs up against each other. It was a really good fight and the crowd got behind both of them, as you’d expect.

“Nathan showed his boxing skill and, in the first two rounds, he looked sensational. Carl then tried to come up with something in the third, because he knew he was slightly behind, but Nathan dealt with that well.

“Rafael won every round of his contest and boxed brilliantly to win his first belt. He wasn’t going to be denied his opportunity and he’s on the march now.

“John-Patrick was also in control from the start, winning every round with a flawless performance, in which he didn’t do a thing wrong. Will put in a great performance too at his right weight after coming down from 69kg.

“He was the challenger and it was a tough bout but, after a really good first round of boxing, Will then showed his strength in the second and forced a standing count against his opponent, before gaining a stoppage in the third.”