March ABC’s Patsy Smith showed her knockout quality and was crowned English champion after boxing her way to the top in the final of the National Amateur Boxing Championship (NABC) final.

Coached by her father, the 15-year-old travelled to Bristol last Friday after out boxing Portsmouth’s Taylor Smith in the competition’s semi-finals last month.

She stepped into the ring against Hartlepool’s Sadie Thomas – who was tipped as the favourite – in the final of the competition and defied the odds to take the fight – and the title as English class B under 63kg champion – after three entertaining rounds.

The two fighters met in the middle of the ring in the first round, with Thomas trying to take control, but Patsy matched her for strength and worked at a fast pace and edged the opening round.

Patsy carried her work rate into the second round and started to land solid jabs, and by the third round she was boxing with confidence and style, throwing more combinations as Thomas began to tire.

Patsy took the fight on a unanimous decision after three riveting rounds, much to the delight of March ABC’s head coach, Bernie Wing.

He said: “Patsy’s performance was a great achievement and well deserved.”

The young boxer’s triumph was her biggest win in her three years of boxing at March ABC, and she was quick to thank her team mates at the club.

She said: “I’d like to thank all the lads from the club who helped with sparring and my skilled work.”

Patsy is now setting her sights at fighting in the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Championships after Christmas.