IT’S seconds out for St Pancras ABC’s capital king Jermaine Dhliwayo after the brilliant boxer successfully defended his London title on Friday.

In a repeat of last year’s final in the London Elite National Amateur Championships, formerly known as the ABAs, Dhliwayo (above) returned to the Coliseum Suite in Ilford to once again take on West Ham ABC’s Freddie Pullen.

Competing at 60kg, the outcome was even more devastating as Dhliwayo improved on the 3-2 victory he gained in 2023 by winning 4-1 this time around. The reward – along with another eye-catching belt – is a place in the pre-quarter-finals of England Boxing’s National Amateur Championships, which begin in Wolverhampton on April 6.

“Jermaine was top class, he put in such a dominant display,” said Saints head coach CJ Hussein. “Credit to Pullen, he showed tremendous heart and balls, but Jermaine wasn’t going to be beaten.

“To box, and beat, the same kid twice isn’t easy at this level, but Jermaine has been training hard for this and I thought his performance was simply outstanding. Pullen would have been out for revenge, but Jermaine dealt with the pressure and did what he had to do.

“At the end the crowd rose to their feet to applaud both boxers. I thought that it was the fight of the night.”