Hatton Boxing Amateur Focus: Luke Saunders

Sibling rivalry has spurred West Ham ABC star Luke Saunders on to winning seven national titles. The 17-year-old used to watch his older brothers Paul and Johnny boxing for trophies and turn green with envy.

But over the past three years he's boxed out of his skin and in winning this year's CYP championships at 63 - 66kg, he's finally surpassed the achievements of his brothers.

"Jealousy made me start boxing," Luke admitted. "My older brothers were getting all the glory and I didn't like it. They won a couple of national titles each and I was very jealous as a kid.

"I was always very competitive and I had to be first at anything I did. But I've out done them now. John had six titles and I've just won my seventh so he wasn't too happy (laughs)."

However, Saunders cites much more than a friendly feud with his family members as the catalyst for his championship successes. The likable teenager believes moving to East London's historic West Ham ABC in 2008 has been the making of him.

"I wasn't at a very good gym before," he explained. "The gym was only open twice a week and I wasn't very dedicated.

"I was still doing well though. I got to the semi-finals of the Golden Gloves and boxed a kid called Frank Smith who had about 20 unbeaten, he'd won a few national titles and I'd only had five bouts. I lost by 11 points to ten but I really thought I won the fight.

"I had the urge to come back stronger and a couple of my relatives were at West Ham and they were winning titles. I went down there and I was sparring every night and before I knew it I was improving all the time.

"I was a come forward fighter before I went there but I learned how to hit and not get hit back. Before I used to just get in there and punch people in the face but now there's so much more skill and thought to it."

And those newly acquired skills have led him to almost three seasons of unprecedented success, where his opponents have struggled to even lay a glove on him let alone come close to halting his march to glory.

"I've never lost a fight since I moved to West Ham. I've won about 24 fights on the spin for them and seven national titles," Saunders proudly stated.

"There's no better feeling than coming home with a national title and making your family proud.

"I've won every tournament I've been in back to back for my club and I've only lost one internationally at the Europeans and I thought I smashed the boy. I gave him two standing counts and still lost by three points to two."

His unquestionable talent have led some to suggest he should jump up to the senior ABAs a year early in 2012 and attempt to capture domestic amateur boxing's greatest crown in the same manner that Leeds' Damo Jones did last season.

Veteran West Ham trainer Mickey May has told the youngster that he feels the time is right to test the waters against older and more experienced boxers but there is also the temptation of winning a third consecutive junior ABA championship.

"My older coach from West Ham, Micky May, wants me to go in the seniors but my actual coach Micky Driscoll wants me to try junior ABAs again and go for the trio before moving over to the seniors," Luke explained.

"I want to see how I've matured after Christmas but at 67kg I don't think there's a senior or a junior that will beat me."

Saunders, who cites Floyd Mayweather as his fistic idol, has already attracted the attention of the selectors for the Great Britain squad and has a second assessment at the English Institute for Sport in Sheffield next month.

He knows that if he's successful he'll initially start on the part-time funded development squad, but believes that being able to train regularly with the cream of the nation's amateur boxers will put him in good stead for achieving his dream of one day making it to an Olympic Games.

"Fighting at the Olympics would be a dream," he enthused. "I'm going to keep myself dedicated because there's no better tournament and I think going to the Olympics would mean more to me than winning a world title as a pro.

"They (Team GB) were happy with my first trial and I've got to go back and produce the goods at my second trial in January and hopefully build from there.

"I had some very good compliments when I was down there last time. Robert McCracken spoke very well of me and said he was very impressed with me which was a great confidence boost because he's the main man."

By Andrew Wake