European champion and 6 national titles: Meet extraordinary brothers flying flag for Portsmouth

Heart of Portsmouth (HOP) rising stars Shane and Charlie Keet are making huge waves, with their prodigious skills seeing them rise to the pinnacle of their sport.

Shane stormed to the European title last October in Montenegro, sweeping all before him at 50kg despite boxing opponents a year older than the Wickham ace.

The 14-year-old now has eyes on defending his crown in Turkey later this year, after leading HOP’s array of talent into England Boxing National Schools Championships action next month.

First, however, brother Charlie is out to add to his four national titles and Tri-Nations victory, in the England Boxing National Junior Championships this weekend.

The England international and European Championships quarter-finallist, 16, travels to Kettering with big ambitions as he sets sights on dominating the fight game in years to come.

He said: ‘I’m boxing for my sixth national and international title in Kettering, hopefully I can win both days and become national champion again.

‘I come from a fighting family, so it runs in the blood.

‘I’ve been with Heart of Portsmouth through all my amateur career and when I turn 18 I will look to turn over as a professional.

‘I’ve been to the quarter-finals of the European Championships, where I lost to the Russian boxer who went on to win it. When you’re boxing to represent your county it’s a good feeling.

‘I want to win this title as a junior, two more youth championships and then become a pro and world champion.’

Brother Shane added: ‘It feels good to be the European champion.

‘I went there a year young, so now I can hopefully go there again and win back-to-back European titles this year. I thought I boxed well, but hopefully this year I can do even better.

‘My family have been a big help, but so has coming to Heart of Portsmouth, who train me hard.

‘I’m dedicated. Heart of Portsmouth have helped me a lot and trained me for four-and-a-half years now - I’m proud to represent Heart of Portsmouth.’

HOP junior head coach and England coach, Dave Johnson, spoke of the club’s pride in the talented duo - who are flying the flag for Portsmouth on the national and international stage.

Johnson said: ‘They are very, very good talents and the main thing about their journey is their work ethic.

‘They work really hard in the gym and are great lads, they always give 100 per cent for the team and are always focussed.

‘They’ve been involved in the club now for five years. They can go to the top, in fact they’re already there. Charlie is five-time national and international champion and Shane is a two-time national champion and European gold medallist.

‘Charlie has also represented England at the Europeans and the Tri-Nations. They can go all the way. We’re very proud of them, they carry the flag really well for Portsmouth.’

As well as Charlie, HOP also send double national champion, Valeria Selska, into action in the junior championships, as the 14-year-old looks to build on her Golden Girl Box Cup victory in Sweden last month.

And Moneyfields’ Douglas Underwood aims for junior cadet success at 50kg, as the 14-year-old shows huge progress by putting an impressive winning run together.

Moneyfields coach, Colin Hooker, said: ‘Douglas lost his first few bouts, but has stuck at it and turned it right around with five wins from six.

‘He’s a brilliant listener with the heart of a lion, who’s picking his shots well. We’re very proud of him.’