WALCOT’S Sammy Price claimed his first title for the club on Saturday when he won the Western Counties Schoolboys Final in Exmouth.

Fourteen-year-old Price won his first title for the club when outbattling Finlay Spackman from Gloucester’s Fight Factory gym in a Class B, 43kgs encounter.

Price joined Walcot a few months’ ago from the Pinewood Starr Boxing Club in Berkshire, along with older brother Michael and dad Billy, who is now a Walcot coach.

From the opening bell the two teenage boxers attacked at every opportunity, both displaying a desire to be crowned Western Counties Champion, but it was Price who landed with the greater volume of quality shots to take the opener.

The middle session saw the Walcot boxer dominate proceedings, scoring with several hard straight rights.

Spackman tried to redress the balance during the final round, but despite Price receiving a one point deduction for low head carriage during the final salvos, it was the Walcot boxer who was returned the unanimous points winner 3-0.

Price said afterwards: “It feels great to have won the Western Counties title.

“It was a hard contest but I felt I deserved the win.

“I must thank Harry Scott and all the Walcot coaches for their hard work with me since I joined the club.”

While Price was successful, there was disappointment for clubmate Johnny McDonagh, 13, after his Class B, 40kgs, match with Ryan Hoar from Bodmin.

The Walcot camp were aware that Hoar was useful as he made the national semi-finals last season, but during a close bout McDonagh was not quite at the top of his game, finding his opponent’s reach advantage and southpaw stance awkward and not landing as many right hands as in previous rounds.

Hoar edged the first round, whilst Johnny raised the tempo to take the middle session.

On boxing the Walcot youngster probably took the last round, but a point deduction for holding sealed his fate and resulted in a unanimous points victory for Hoar.

Johnny’s brother Mikey didn’t box, as his opponent failed the scales, so he joins Sammy in the national quarter finals along with Ross Kennedy, who also received a bye at this stage.