INVERKEITHING boxer Harrison Baxter is celebrating a memorable double after becoming a national champion for the second year in a row.

The talented 13-year-old, who boxes for Edinburgh’s Leith Victoria AAC, was in action at the Boxing Scotland School and Junior Championships held over the weekend of February 24-25 and came away with another gold medal.

Harrison, an S2 pupil at Inverkeithing High School, competed in the schoolboy 2004 35.5kg competition last year – while a member with Lochend Boxing Club – and defeated then club-mate Calum Smith in the final.

A three-time world champion in kickboxing, the teenager changed clubs last August and, in January, won his first Eastern District championship belt in the schoolboy 2004-2005 42kg category.

For the national competition, which was held at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell, he stepped up a weight to fight at 43kg in the 2004 schoolboy age group and packed a punch to walk away with the title.

After defeating Mack Murdock, of Tranent’s Bronx Boxing Club – who he beat to reach the Eastern District final – by a unanimous decision, it set up a rematch with Chirnside’s Charlie Dent, who was Harrison’s opponent in that final.

The West Fifer won that bout by a unanimous decision and enjoyed the same outcome on the Scottish stage, which could lead to selection for the Scotland team that will compete at the Schools GB Three Nations competition in Wales at the end of July.

Speaking to Press Sport, thrilled dad Sean said: “He moved up to the 43kg category and won by unanimous in both fights.

“In the second one, the lad held on to Harrison a bit more but he was able to out-manoeuvre him and was just too strong for him.

“You can see the change and growth in him and he’s a lot more confident. His fight style has totally changed; he’s moving forward, taking opportunities and there’s not many kids who have an awareness like him.

“Kenny Simmons, his coach, has brought him on phenomenally and Stewart Ferguson, his coach in the corner, said that he’s a great lad for listening and is a joy to work with.

“He knows what to do to get points.”

He continued: “The categories at the Boxing Scotland championships can be small but Harrison never had the easy option of getting a bye to the final.

“There were originally five in his category but two never made it. He won through on the Saturday then won on the Sunday.

“That’s him won titles two years in a row. Last year, he didn’t over-celebrate but this time there was a bit more of a release!

“It’s been a good year for him and he’s more or less qualified for the GBs in his age group. He still has to go through Boxing Scotland assessments but he’ll look forward to that.

“I said to him to be more proud of himself but don’t brag about it. He’s worked hard and, after he won it on the Sunday, he was back in the gym on the Monday even though his coach said he could take a couple of days off!

“I can’t thank Leith Victoria enough. They’ve really looked after him.”