A TEENAGE boxer who has claimed second place in an international tournament aims to represent his country in European championships this year.

Ambrose Burnside, 13, is likely to be selected for the England team for the second time this year for a European amateur boxing competition in Russia this summer.

Ambrose, from Firthmoor, in Darlington, recently picked up a silver medal in a trination tournament, where he fought 13 to 15-year-olds in the 39kg weight category from Scotland and Wales.

Ambrose, who has been boxing since he was nine, trains for an hour a night at Darlington Amateur Boxing Club, combining fitness work with shadow boxing and sparring.

His trainer, Lee Bannister, who runs the gym with Andy Marksby, said Ambrose was a promising young hopeful.

He said: “He has really, really tried this year and put everything into his boxing.

“He is here seven nights a week – he is totally dedicated and is reaping the rewards now. Everyone in the gym is proud as punch of him.

“He is an aggressive boxer – he has an all-action style and is not afraid to just go for it.

“I definitely think you could see big things from Ambrose.”

The club is also the training gym of promising teenager Henry Thomas, who has represented England at national level on numerous occasions and has several major titles under his belt.

Ambrose, who attends Hurworth School Maths and Computing College, has ambitions to represent his country at the London 2012 Olympics, when he will be 17.

He eventually wants to become a professional boxer.

He said: “It is all I have ever wanted to be. I have wanted to be a boxer since I was little.

“My favourite boxer is Ricky Hatton.”

He said his parents were extremely encouraging, and added: “They just think it is good. They support me as much as they can.”