By Tom Degun

July 17 - British Boxing’s Performance Director Rob McCracken (pictured) has revealed that he is looking to build on his team’s recent success ahead of the Four Nations Challenge amateur boxing tournament in Sheffield next month.



The prestigious competition, which takes place on August 7 and 8, will see Britain face the national teams of France, China and Kazakhstan at the English Institute of Sport (EIS) in Sheffield where Britain’s male and female London 2012 Podium Squads are based.

The tournament follows the success of the men’s squad at the recent European Championships in Moscow where Britain won five medals in what was their best showing for over 50 years.

European medallists Khalid Yafai, Iain Weaver and Tom Stalker are tipped to compete at the Four Nations Challenge as part of their preparations towards 2012, although the final squads for the event will be confirmed later this month.

McCracken, said: "The lads performed superbly in Moscow and this tournament will provide us with another good marker of progress ahead of 2012.

"All the competing nations [participating in the Four Nations Challenge] won multiple boxing medals at the Beijing Olympics so the competition is set to be tough but our squad can only benefit from further international experience.

"It is important we keep moving forward, testing the boxers so we continue going from strength to strength."

The event has been brought to Sheffield by the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) with support from Sheffield City Council’s Major Sports Events Unit.

It will attract scores of boxers and their coaching teams from across the world to Sheffield, maximising economic impact for the city.

Paul Hudson, the general manager of EIS Sheffield, said: "We are delighted to be hosting this high profile international competition and showcasing the GB Squad’s fantastic set up at EIS Sheffield to the national squads from France, China and Kazakhstan.

"The GB lads have been in great form and it will be fantastic to see them compete on home soil.

"Sheffield has a proud association with boxing and with the GB squad being based here at EIS Sheffield our facilities will be familiar to many of the boxers providing them with an advantage over the other nations."

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