Islington Boxing Club had double reason to cheer after seeing two of their members secure their progress in National Championships.

Islington Gazette: Islington's Luan Veras with club coaches (pic Reggie Hagland)Islington's Luan Veras with club coaches (pic Reggie Hagland) (Image: Archant)

Slavisa Gegic was in action at Dagenham’s Roundhouse, where he met Finchley ABC’s Thomas Hunter in the London semi-finals of the Elite Championships.

And although not at his sharpest in their under-69kg contest, Islington welterweight Gegic had too much for his rival.

Hunter proved game enough, but Gegic was winning all of the rounds when a combination dropped the Finchley fighter to the canvas.

The referee gave a standing eight count, but waved the fight off shortly before the end to give Gegic a stoppage win.

Victory has earned Gegic a date with Cuban BA’s Timon Asiama-Southgate in a repeat of the 2018 Haringey Box Cup final, but it remains to be seen when that might take place due to the coronavirus pandemic leading to the postponement of a host of sporting events this week.

Meanwhile, clubmate Luan Veras was competing in the national quarter-finals of the Junior Championships at the Delphi Centre in Sudbury, where he met Blake Marshall, from Colchester ABC in an under-66kg bout.

And although Veras also gave a below-par performance, he did enough to earn a 4-1 split decision from the judges and a spot in the semi-finals.