IT MAY be Valentine's Day but there will be no love lost on Saturday night when Medway’s finest young boxers battle it out in the National Schoolboy Regional finals at Strood Sports Centre.

St Mary’s have the biggest contingent with eight fighters aiming to progress into the national stages of the competition.

Brompton’s Josh Boyle has also made it through to the regional finals and will be taking on L Goddard (Waterside) at the weekend.

Brompton trainer Billy Beck said: “Josh has been looking really sharp in the gym. Goddard has had 14 fights and won 11, stopping a couple of the boys along the way.

“But I have to say that Josh is looking at his strongest at the moment so I’m hoping he can do the business when he steps into the ring.”

St Mary’s trainer Charlie Rumble said his fighters were ready to claim glory.

He said: “Bobby Box has a hard fight and so has Billy (Rumble), but I think he can handle his boy.

“Sam Cairns beat his opponent last time when he stopped him in the third round but you never know what can happen when they get in the ring. All we know is that the boys are fit and ready to go. Hopefully they’ll all come through.”

Rhys Simmons is a hot tip on the internet and will be looking to emulate his success from last year.

The finalists

Bobby Box (Under-36kg Minor) v J Bowers (Golden Ring), Billy Rumble (Under-36 Class A) v Craig Fox, Josh Boyle (Under-48kg Class A) v L Goddard (Waterside, Stanley Wortham (Under-45kg Class B) J Ross (Shepway), Sam Cairns (Under-48kg Class B) v L Thompson (Onslow Lions), Ricky Rose (Under-51kg Class B) v R Matthews (Portsmouth and Stacey), John Hickman (Under-60 Class B) v G Dodd (Moneyfields), Sam Whiting (Under-42kg Intermediate) v J Brooker (Hastings), Rhys Simmons (Under-54kg Senior) v B Page (Ryde).