York amateur boxer Graham Fearn clinched a national title in convincing style.

Fearn punched his way to the National Novice Amateur Boxing Association Light Welterweight crown with a 41-23 computerised points victory over P Hughes, representing Southern Counties, over four two-minute rounds at Hendon Police College.

Fearn, who fights for Hunslet Boxing Club but trains at York's Colossus gym, was representing North East Counties, and hopes his performance will have impressed England's selectors. He said: "I won by a big margin, and the referee had to stop the fight a few times because my opponent had a nosebleed."

Fearn won four fights in the championship series to take the title. He beat highly fancied Midlands champion Jamie Quinn on points at Bradford last month in the semi-finals.

Fearn, 23, said: "I should get nominated to go to England squad training at Crystal Palace when the season starts again in September, and my ambition is to get selected for the Sydney Olympics in 2000."

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