LIAM HARPER was issued an ultimatum by his coach after being named Best Boxer at the Hull Box Cup.
The 22-year-old from Bulkington ABC took home the trophy after claiming 57kgs gold with two stoppages and a unanimous points win at The Allam Sports Centre.
Coach Brendan Norman says Harper is a frustrating talent – and has told him to give boxing his all for the next 12 months.
“Liam has so much ability,” said Norman, “but he’s just so laid back in everything he does. He doesn’t exert himself, whatever he’s doing.
“I’ve told him before and I said it on the way home from Hull: ‘Give it a year of discipline and listening to me and see where you end up. If you want to walk away after that, fine, but give it a real go for 12 months.’
“I’ve told him that boxing is his way out, but it’s up to him.”
Harper showed his potential when winning Haringey Box Cup gold last year.
He made an early exit at Alexandra Palace last month, losing his opening contest to Irish champion Gavin Ryan, who went on to win gold.
Norman said: “I told Liam afterwards: ‘You competed with him and he’s a top international and I bet he lives the life.’
“I wanted to make him see how much he could achieve. He makes it look effortless at times.”
Norman sensed Harper would take some stopping in Hull.
“On the first day, I thought: ‘He’s not going to lose,’” said Norman.
“If he feels good, he’s really, really hard to beat, and I could see he felt good.”
Norman’s instincts were proved right.
Harper forced Robin Moss (Hebden Bridge) to retire after two rounds and then stopped Callum Griffith Cunningham (Braunstone Golden Gloves) to set up a final against Marillious Kelly (St Paul’s).
After a close opener, Harper pulled away to win unanimously.
Norman added: “I have told Liam I want him to be [clubmate] Tommy Ledwidge for a year.
“Tommy gets everything through hard work and the will to win, while Liam wins through pure talent. If you put them together, you would have an unbeatable boxer.”
Ledwidge came back from Hull with silver after what he felt was a premature stoppage in the cruiserweight final.
Ledwidge was a one-punch winner in the last four – chinning Mario Ozario (Gladiators) with a right hand – and handed Divine Udoma (Marybone) a count in the first round of the final.
Ledwidge looked on course for victory going into the last and was stunned after being handed three counts and stopped.
There was gold for clubmate Charlie Williams.
The 16-year-old is the nephew of club legend Fred Williams.
He once won three national titles in a season and in Hull Charlie showed what he has his DNA, winning three bouts at 50kgs.
Williams had wins over Ben Anderson (District Youth), Cole Morgan (Wirral CP) and Zack Williams (Kingston), improving his record to 21-9.
And Farrah Cunniff (White Rose) was celebrating again.
Two weeks after winning Haringey Box Cup gold for a third time, she made it a hat-trick of Hull Box Cup golds.The final at the Allam Sports Centre was a repeat of the final at Alexandra Palace and the outcome was the same, Cunniff beating Chloe Giglio (Wolves Den) unanimously.
