Berinsfield’s Michael McDonagh, 11, had a dream start to his ring career with victory over Aaron Iles, from the host Thames Valley gym, at Newbury.

Quicker to the punch, he showed more invention to claim the votes of all three judges.

Ciaran Flanagan, 12, also started the campaign with a win, gaining a split decision over Reading’s Jordan Smith.

The Berinsfield schoolboy dictated the early stages and got behind the jab to land with combination shots.

Smith connected with some well-placed right hands, but failed to match the quantity of punches being landed by his Oxfordshire rival. But there was disappointment for 16 year-old lightweight Will Healey in the opening stage of this season’s Clubs for Young People (CYP) Championships.

He was embroiled in a tough tussle with Portsmouth’s Michael Ballingall and had no complaints when the Pompey southpaw’s arm was raised in victory.

Healey said: “He was strong and awkward and the momentum just was not with me.”

Oxford Boxing Academy’s Ben Kaluza had a walkover in the class C (born 1992) welterweight category and is thro-ugh to the next round in Bristol later this month.