Top gun: High-flying Kian Thomas

Published: 12 December, 2013
by STEVE BARNETT

ARSENAL fan Kian Thomas has certainly got plenty to be cheerful about this Christmas.

Not only is his beloved football team top of the Premier League, but the talented young welterweight is hitting the heights in the ring too.

The young pugnacious pugilist has become St Pancras Amateur Boxing Club’s first national champion in more than a decade.

Thomas, who lives in Kentish Town, earned a majority points win over Liam Kelly on Saturday after four tough two-minute rounds in the Class ‘B’ final of the National Novice Championships.

It was a long and testing road for the 22-year-old, who had to win seven bouts spread over two months to land the biggest accolade of his amateur career.
“I keep looking at the trophy,” he said. “Knowing that I’m a national champion is one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. It’s great for me and for St Pancras, hopefully it will motivate other young fighters from the gym to go on and become champions too.”

Although in no way underplaying his tough final against Kelly, Thomas picked his previous fight against Louis Greene as his most rewarding fight.

“A lot of people were saying he was going to knock me out, which isn’t what you want to hear when you’re preparing for such a big fight.

“So when it was me who stopped him in the second round, it was a great feeling, and a great way to become the southern-counties champion.”