Pleck youngster Patrick Purcell aiming to be a hit on the national stage

The 13-year-old is a product of Pleck Amateur Boxing Club and has picked up the Midlands title as part of his journey through the England Boxing National Schools Championships 2021.

Having come through a handful of opponents, included some undefeated fighters, Purcell will fight in the quarter-finals in Liverpool on Sunday as he edges closer to a shot at the national title.

Team Pleck – who have coached Purcell for almost three years now – have high hopes for the young fighter and believe he can go all the way.

“The coaching team were absolutely over the moon,” coach Bobby Wood said.

“The club has been going for 41 years this year and we’ve had numerous champions over the years, so it’s brilliant to add Patrick to that.

“This is his first ever championships because he should have done it last year, but because of Covid we had no amateur boxing at all.

“We all had him as favourite to win it last year, so he’s now doing everything that we thought he’d do last year.”

The teenager is currently unbeaten in his fledgling amateur career, with seven wins under his belt so far.

Despite his age, Purcell is already showing signs of a fighter who is capable of making it as a professional and the the team at Pleck have already seen him stand-out among others his age.

“I’m not just saying this because he’s one of our lads, but he is so dedicated,” Wood added.

“We have a gym full of lads and we’ve probably got a handful that listen and are dedicated. A lot of them do it just because they enjoy the sport. But Patrick is one that absolutely loves the sport. He lives and breathes it.

“He runs up Sedgley hill every day. It’s a good, steep hill and he goes jogging there every day.

“He’s from Bilston and jogs over to Sedgley from there too. He goes to the Wrekin in Telford as well.

“Patrick trains every day and is incredibly dedicated. I think he will go all the way, I can’t see why he wouldn’t.

“I just hope he sticks to it as he gets older, which I think he will.”

Purcell has boxing in his family too, as undefeated bantamweight hopeful Dennis McCann is his cousin.

Wood said: “He was a nine-time national champion and is thriving now as a professional with a 10-0 record, so it’s in the bloodline.

“Patrick can look up to that and aspire to make it.”