ETHAN Doyle gets the opportunity to show the progress he has made over the past 12 months when he laces up his gloves in the England Boxing Youth Championships.

The 17-year-old Barrow ABC boxer takes on Ramtin Musah in the 69-75kg category North West Region semi-finals in Walkden, Manchester, tomorrow.

Doyle is hoping to avenge a defeat against the Beartown boxer in the final of the same competition last year.

The Glaxo apprentice has benefited from some sparring with recently-turned professional Ross Cooksey in the Brook Street gym, and he looked sharp in beating Connor Taylor, from Manchester’s Jimmy Egan Boxing Club, at last month’s Grange South Lakeland Freemasons show.

Barrow ABC coach Jeff Moses knows it will be a very testing contest against Musah, but at the same time, he thinks Doyle has nothing to fear.

“He is fighting the lad who beat him last year and went on to win the British championship,” said Moses.

“It’s a hard bout. But he has been sparring with Ross, getting the rounds in and he is looking good.

“Ethan has matured. He’s developed more and he is more than capable of holding his own, and if he does get through he will box again on the Sunday against the lad he boxed at Grange (Taylor).”

It is a busy month ahead for the Brook Street camp, with several fighters in action.

Joe Skyrme and Jordan Dix are in the ring next weekend against opponents from the British Army. The following week Jonathan Robertson makes his debut in Preston, while on the same bill are Josh Jones, Matt Currie and Andy Rawlinson.

Robertson is set to box again the week after that, along with Jim Braithwaite and promising female pugilist Tia Davies.

Moses has high hopes for youngster Cameron McBain, who impressed in a Kid Gloves bout at Irlam last weekend.

“He boxed lovely,” said Moses. “He started on the back foot and then realised he could take the kid so he just went for it in the next two rounds. He’s a tough little kid.”