Boxing: Carlisle Villa's Marc Haughan aiming high after national title

The Carlisle Villa Amateur Boxing Club star became national senior elite champion last weekend.

And following his victory in Derby, more big things could lie ahead for the 20-year-old.

Haughan is set to be assessed by England Boxing coaches as he bids to further his impressive progress in the sport.

Coach Jimmy Brennan, from Carlisle ABC, said of last weekend’s success: “It’s absolutely massive – a great accolade for Marc and for the club.

“Getting someone who first walked into the gym six or seven years ago, to this, is brilliant.

“He was an athlete when he came, but boxing-wise, he didn’t know his left from his right. Now he’s senior elite champion which is a huge testament to Marc.

“The next step is to box in the GB tri-nations championships in June, where the Scottish and Welsh champions will also be involved. He’ll also go for sessions with the England squad in Sheffield.

“We’ll see where that takes us. He will turn pro in a couple of years. We’ve already had promoters knocking on the door, asking for his number. But we’re going to keep his feet on the ground.

“The aim is to get on the England squad, do a couple of years with England, and go for this title again next year.

“After that…any young amateur boxer will want to compete for England. In two years’ time it will be the Commonwealth Games, which he could feature in if he does the business next year, and in his training sessions with England.”

Haughan got the better of Warrington's Luke Turner to win last weekend's national final (Image: Carlisle Villa ABC)

Haughan, who hails from Upperby and now lives in Harraby, got the better of Merseyside and Cheshire champion Luke Turner in last weekend’s national amateur championships at the under-75kg division.

“It’s an absolutely massive achievement,” said Brennan. “Not just to win it, but the way he won it, stopping seeded boxers all the way along.

“To come through seven bouts, for that elite title, is unheard of, really – Marc boxed in every single round, from our region to the nationals.

“I had coaches from all over the country commenting on him – it really made people sit up.

“The lad he beat in the final, Luke Turner, hadn’t been beaten in England for seven or eight years. We knew he was good technically. Marc boxed him three years ago in the youth final, and he [Turner] did a number on Marc, beating him unanimously.

“But Marc has improved a lot defensively, and offensively, his aggression and power has grown markedly. We knew Marc was fitter and stronger than him, so it had to be high tempo and he put him under pressure from the first bell.

“It was even going into the last ten seconds of the first round, then Marc caught him with an almighty shot. The referee gave him [Turner] the mandatory eight count, then the referee let him continue.

“It was the bell then, but you could see when he got off his stool for the start of the second round he wasn’t right – and Marc was right on top of him.

“After a clinch, Marc caught him with another left hander and that was it.”

Haughan celebrated with his coaches and this week brought his title belt back to the Carlisle Villa club.

“Everyone we boxed, we got the plan exactly right,” added Brennan. “Marc carried out the instructions to a T and it fell right for us. It was great to see – it was stuff we’d worked on in the gym all week.

“He lives and breathes boxing. He’s a down to earth kid, never a problem, never misses any session, and has a really good supportive family, who don’t interfere and let us get on with it. That’s a great help to us and him.

“Other young boxers at our gym have all followed him, and when he brought his belt in on Monday night, and the kids were loving it. We’ve got a few kids who could emulate him if they apply themselves and do what Marc has done in how he’s gone about everything.”