2010 GB Amateur Boxing Championships
Venue: Echo Arena, Liverpool Dates: 12-13 November
Coverage: Live coverage of Saturday's finals on the BBC's Red Button and BBC Sport website plus text commentary online and on mobiles; highlights on BBC Two and online on Sunday.

The tournament will bring together the cream of the amateur talent in England, Wales and Scotland

By Nabil Hassan

The Great Britain team continue their journey towards selection for the 2012 London Olympics at the inaugural GB Amateur Boxing Championships.

The event, at Liverpool's Echo Arena, begins on Friday with the finals being screened live by the BBC on Saturday.

Victory for any boxer from England, Wales or Scotland could see them force their way into the various GB squads.

"This will be a very high quality tournament," GB performance director Rob McCracken told BBC Sport.

The championships will also be the first time that competitive women's boxing has been screened live on the BBC with GB squad members Nicola Adams, Natasha Jonas, Amanda Coulson and Nina Smith all in action.

Marshall and Adams miss out on gold

Also among those appearing in Liverpool will be Commonwealth Games gold medallists Tom Stalker and Simon Vallily.

Stalker could face his final opponent from Delhi, with a potential meeting against fellow lightweight Josh Taylor just one of a number of intriguing match-ups. England's Martin Ward is the other boxer in their weight class.

"A lot of people will think it should be a walk in the park for me because I won gold in Delhi but I know that I'm going to have two very hard fights," said Stalker.

In some weight categories, members of GB's podium team will come up against someone in the development programme, therefore giving that boxer a perfect opportunity to prove his point and force his way into the elite tier of the squad.

An example of that is at bantamweight which sees 2010 European silver medallist Iain Weaver (GB podium squad), 2008 European gold medallist Luke Campbell (England podium squad) and 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sean McGoldrick (Wales development squad) coming up against each other this weekend. The winner could see them head into 2011 in pole position for Olympic selection.

"This is going to be a really tough competition but I am confident I can win the tournament," said Campbell.

It is a chance to establish myself as number one at the weight and put myself in the frame for selection at next year's Olympic qualifiers Scott Cardle

Light-welterweight Bradley Saunders, who won silver in Delhi, has already boxed at one Olympics and is desperate to so again at London 2012.

"Not many boxers get to go to a second Olympic Games but that is my goal and winning the GB Championships will take me a step closer to achieving it," said Saunders, who is a member of the podium squad.

But he will come up against fellow podium member Scott Cardle, who is representing England in Liverpool.

Cardle recognises the importance of the championships and knows that victory could see him leap-frog Saunders in the pecking order.

"This is a huge opportunity," admitted Cardle.

"It is a chance to establish myself as number one at the weight and put myself in the frame for selection at next year's Olympic qualifiers.

Home nations triumph in first boxing finals

"It will be an extremely tough competition as I will be up against the best amateurs in Great Britain but this is my chance to stake a claim for an Olympic place and I intend to take it."

McCracken added: "This tournament will have an influence on the make-up of the Olympic squad and is an opportunity for all of the boxers to stake a claim to be part of it."

In the women's lightweight class Jonas will face fellow GB podium member Amanda Coulson who recently pipped the Liverpool boxer to selection for the world championships in Barbados.

Nicola Adam, who won silver at those championships will also meet a member of the podium squad - Nina Smith.

But 19-year-old middleweight Savannah Marshall who was set to compete against Desislava Lazarova from Bulgaria has had to withdraw from her bout because of flu. Marshall is the world silver medallist.

Men:

Light-flyweight, 49kg:

Charlie Edwards - GB
Sam Smith - England
Ben Baker - Wales

Flyweight, 52kg:

Tommy Stubbs - GB
Adam Whitfield - England
Andrew Selby - Wales

Bantamweight, 56kg:

Iain Weaver - GB
Luke Campbell - England
Sean McGoldrick - Wales

Lightweight, 60kg:

Tom Stalker - GB
Martin Ward - England
Josh Taylor - Scotland

Light-welterweight, 64kg:

Bradley Saunders - GB
Scott Cardle - England
Jason Easton - Scotland

Welterweight, 69kg:

Callum Smith - GB
Anthony Fowler - England
Tommy Philbin - Wales

Middleweight, 75kg:

Antony Ogogo - GB
Frank Buglioni - England
Keiron Harding - Wales

Light-heavyweight, 81kg

Obed Mbwakongo - GB
Lawrence Osueke - England
Sean Finney - Scotland

Heavyweight, 91kg:

Simon Vallily - GB
Danny Price - England
Stephen Simmons - Scotland
Lloyd Davies - Wales

Super-heavyweight, 91kg:

Amin Isa - GB
Anthony Joshua - England

Women:

Flyweight, 52kg:

Nicola Adams - GB
Nina Smith - England
Lynsey Holdaway - Wales

Lightweight, 60kg:

Natasha Jonas - GB
Amanda Coulson - England

The semi-finals will be held on Friday 12 November from 1500 GMT (doors open 1400). The finals will be on Saturday 13 November from 1930 GMT) (doors open 1830).

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