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ABA National Title

ABA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

The ABA National Championships is the 'Premier' tournament hosted annually by the ABA of England.

The Championships are 'open' class. A boxer who is registered with a club of the ABA of England (aged over 17 years by the 1st October) can enter.

The inaugural Championships were held (over one day) on the 18th April (St James Hall, London) 1881 at four weight categories;

  • Feather (57kg)
  • Light (60kg)
  • Middle (75kg)
  • Heavyweight (91kg)                   

The event took place over one single day.  This continued until 1967.  Bouts lasted 3 x 3 minutes.  The entrance fee was five shillings.  The winner received a solid Silver Cup.  1884 witnessed the introduction of a fifth weight category (Bantamweight, 54kg). In 1920 (3) additional weight categories were introduced taking it to 8 weight categories in all. These extra weights were

  • Fly (51kg)
  • Welter (69kg)
  • Light heavyweight (81kg)                   

In 1920 'London' split into (4) Divisions to accommodate the number of boxers entering the ABA Championships.  The start of Divisional Championships. The following year the ABA decided to introduce eliminating rounds (1921) and the Country was split into (4) Regions to assist in identifying a champion.

In 1926 the Championships moved to the Royal Albert Hall (London) after moving around different venues within the Capital City (St James Hall, Alexandra Palace, Northampton Institute, Holborn Central Hall, Royal Aquarium, Her Majesty's Theatre, People's Palace and the Holland Park Ring).  In this year the Championships were opened by a Patron of the 'ABA', HRH Prince of Wales.  In 1946 (until 1990) the Championships were held at the Wembley Arena.  In 1991 they transferred to the Royal Albert Hall.

1970 witnessed the introduction of the 'light-fly weight' (48kg) for the first time in the National Championship.  1982 witnessed the additional weight of 'super heavyweight (+91kg).  Cruiser weight (86kg) was added in 1998.  Cruise was dropped in 2003 but re-introduced in 2006.

By 1994 the 'ABA' Championships became a purely English affair as Scottish and Welsh boxers could no longer compete due to disagreements over rules and regulations.

The Championships have been held in London since 1881 (apart from a very brief spell  at Belle Vue (Manchester) (1944) Birmingham NEC (1993-1995) and Barnsley (1996 - 2002).

The championships returned to London in 2003 being held at the Royal Albert Hall, Excel Centre, the Wembley Convention Centre and York Hall.

Today a total (12) weight categories are contested.  The ABA Champion is automatically selected to represent England in the Four Nations Championship in that year (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales).

Smoking banned in 1893 (and betting!).

Past winners of the ABA National Championships read like a 'who's who' of amateur boxing.  

John Lyons (St Helens) holds the record for the number of Senior ABA titles won (8).  These were won in 48kg (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984) and 51kg (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989).