The boxing club of Cumbrian teenage world champion John Joe Carrigan have spoken of their pride at his achievement.
The 17-year-old from Carlisle won the 70kg title at the World Under-19 Boxing Championships in the USA on Saturday.
Carrigan, representing England, outclassed Brazil’s Gabriel Dias Dos Santos in the final in Colorado.
It saw the Cumbrian, from Border City Amateur Boxing Club, add the global gold medal to the series of European and national titles he has already won.
It is the biggest achievement yet in the young boxer’s amateur career and officials at Border City ABC have spoken of their delight.
Coach Ian Archibald said: “It’s hard enough to win a national title, but he’s done that seven times now, let alone winning gold at the Europeans twice – and now to do this is massive for John Joe and massive for the club.
“John Joe works for it, and he deserves it. He works full time at it, and that was his goal - to be world champion. And now he's accomplished it.
“He’s a humble lad, he's not big-headed. He doesn't brag about it all over social media, he's just a down-to-earth, hard-working boxer.
“For the club it’s fantastic. When we first set up, the idea was to get a north west title. We did that in the first season, and we’ve had about ten or 11 national champions, so we're doing something right.
“We don't claim to be the biggest club or anything, but we're always there or thereabouts.”
Carrigan, from Todhills, showed his class in defeating his Brazilian opponent on Saturday, having already ousted opponents from Latvia, Italy and India en route to the final.
Archibald watched the final on the World Boxing live stream and said Carrigan soon imposed his quality on the contest as he became England's eighth gold medal-winner of the championships.
“At first, the Brazilian lad tried to start with his jab, nice and sharp, but I think once John Joe took his jab away then he just grew into it.
“At the end of the second round I don't think the kid knew what to do with him. And in the third round John Joe was clearly enjoying himself, doing a little bit of showboating.
“You could see from the off how much he wanted it, and he’s delivered.
“Before he went I had a little inkling that he’d win it. That’s how much we rate him. Everything he’s entered, he’s found a way to get a gold medal.”
Carrigan has had a number of successful outings for England, and Archibald says the next step for the talented teenager will be the Great Britain boxing set-up, along with further national, European and world title shots.
“I think he's just going to be a superstar now,” said the coach.
“We probably won't be able to get him on any club shows anymore, but hopefully England can keep him busy in their tournaments.
“He’s just had his GB assessment, so I think he’ll get onto the GB stage. He’s stepped up 24 months on some lads, who are 19, so he’s got another year in the national youths, and that’s the process of going to the Europeans next year and the world championships again.
“He’ll have lots of people in his ears so hopefully it’s just a case of keeping him on the right track.
“I'd like him to stay around on the amateur scene, to have a crack at even one year as a senior, and then he's accomplished everything as an amateur, right through the divisions, and then his goal is to go pro.”
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