Teenage TKO Folkestone fighter Georgie Smith crowned England Boxing Senior Development champion in Kettering

Teenage Folkestone fighter Georgie Smith is celebrating after he became a national champion following a superb unbeaten run.

TKO Folkestone ABC’s Smith, 18, was crowned England Boxing Senior Development champion, defeating his final opponent by unanimous decision in Kettering last month after an impressive run of six wins against some of the country’s best developing fighters.

The success sees Smith finally add gold to his collection of National Championship medals.

Organised by England Boxing - the national governing body for amateur boxing in the country - the event brings together boxers from across the country. Smith’s road to the top has been far from easy.

Across six bouts, he faced tough opposition, including an opponent from the Army’s boxing team in the pre-quarter-finals and the London champion in the quarter-final.

He produced an emphatic display in his semi-final, stopping his opponent in the second round.

Waiting for him in the final was the Merseyside and Cheshire champion but Smith rose to the occasion, delivering a display that secured a unanimous victory.

The gold medal was particularly special for Smith after bronze and silver medals at earlier championships. Having come so close before, he has now completed the set.

TKO Folkestone’s head coach Harrison Frew praised Smith’s commitment and mentality throughout the championship.

“We’re incredibly proud of Georgie,” said Frew. “He has put in the hard work, stayed loyal and kept pushing himself to improve.

“He’s had the bronze, he's had the silver and, now, he’s finally got his gold. He’s earned every bit of it.

“One of the things that really stood out was his mentality before the final. He had his bronze and silver medals sitting on the chair while he warmed up, using them as motivation to go one step further and win the gold.

“That tells you a lot about the mindset he brought into the ring.

"He knew what he wanted, and he went out there and got it.”

The achievement is another proud moment for TKO Folkestone, which has produced their second national champion in just two years.

And Smith’s national title was not the only success for the club at this year’s championships.

TKO Folkestone also celebrated a national semi-finalist, securing a bronze medal, alongside four Southern Counties (Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire & Isle of Wight) champions.

The club had already demonstrated their strength in the Southern Counties at the 2025 Development Championships, too, where they produced three champions.

Following the excitement of the National Championships, TKO Folkestone are looking forward to welcoming supporters to the next home show at Ashford’s Stour Centre this weekend, with the action starting at 12pm.

The show will feature TKO’s talented squad taking on boxers from local clubs and offers spectators the chance to enjoy competitive amateur boxing and support the next generation of local talent.

Refreshments will be available alongside raffle prizes generously donated by local businesses.

As a non-profit boxing club, TKO rely on their shows to generate an income to continue giving their fighters the opportunity to compete on the national stage.

Based at Folkestone Racecourse in Westenhanger, Hythe, TKO Folkestone welcome aspiring boxers aiming to learn new skills, improve their fitness, build confidence and potentially compete.

The club offer sessions for juniors and seniors. Junior boxing is Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5.45pm until 6.45pm, and senior boxing is Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 7pm until 8pm.

The club also run a weekly Parkinson’s boxing session every Friday at 12pm for people living with Parkinson’s disease.

They’re led by head coach Frew, who also leads the Parkinson's boxing project at England Boxing, helping participants stay active and benefit from the physical and social aspects of the sport.