TWO fighters from Merlins Bridge ABC are busy preparing to compete on the illustrious European and World boxing stages.

Two of the stars from the gym are Welsh champions Mickey McDonagh and lightweight Charlene Jones, who will both be vying for medals at different international competitions.

McDonagh, 16, of Pennar, has won four Welsh titles and he will be flying out to Russia at the end of the month to fight at the Junior European Championships.

McDonagh is an all-action orthodox boxer and his trainer Graham Brockway is delighted he will get the chance to fight against the best fighters from Europe in the 50-52 kg category.

“This is a great opportunity for Mickey,” said Brockway. “He’s really moving up by fighting at this level, but I have every confidence in him, he’s training hard and he has the ability to do well at these championships.”

The other boxer Charlene Jones, needs no introduction to Western Telegraph readers, she’s been at the top of her game for a number of years.

Orthodox boxer Jones, from Pembroke Dock, had fought brilliantly at the Commonwealth Games this summer in Glasgow, and she can count herself rather unlucky that she did not win a medal after narrowly losing at the quarter finals on points against former World champion Laishram Devi, of India, after convincingly winning against Sri Lanka’s Hansika Arachchi in her first bout.

The 23-year-old will now represent Wales at AIBA Women’s World Championships in Jeju City, South Korea from 13-25 November 2014.

Before that she will fly out to Morocco and then back to base at Sheffield this month to train with the GB women’s squad, and she will also spend ten days in Japan as the squad acclimatise for the prestigious World Championships.

“I’m really proud of the pair of them,” said Brockway. “The other kids in my gym really look up to Micky and Charlene, and hopefully it will inspire them to train hard and be the best that they can be.”

Brockway has spent a lifetime in boxing, an international as an amateur, he was also a former World kickboxing champion and he knows nothing can be achieved without hard work and dedication to the sport.

“The gym is going from strength to strength and I have a lot of talented youngsters. I’m expecting at least seven of them to win Welsh titles.”

Anyone or business who could support the pair financially should contact Graham Brockway at Merlins Bridge ABC, Haverfordwest.