Poignant first title won on behalf of the late Scott Westgarth - by proud Sheffield gym mate Tommy Frank

Tommy Frank dedicated his first championship win to tragic gym-mate Scott Westgarth - and says all he'll do the same for all future fights as he heads up the boxing ladder.
Tommy Frank after his winTommy Frank after his win
Tommy Frank after his win

The Sheffield Boxing Centre super flyweight collected the Central Area title to Westgarth, who died after a bout with Dec Spelman, at Doncaster Dome on Febraury 24.Westgarth, 31, had been a fun-loving, dedicated member of the Hillsborough gym and a close friend of Frank, who outpointed Doncaster's Craig Derbyshire over 10 rounds on Friday, at iceSheffield."The last eight weeks have been really really hard for the lads in the gym" said Frank."I just had Scott in my head, I know what he'd be saying...Just get on with it, keep your head down and keep working."Everything I ever achieve in boxing will be for Scott."If Westgarth had been at iceSheffield he'd have been "absolutely over the moon" said Frank."He was like my brother, these (in the gym) are all my brothers. He was like a brother to us all."Frank said that he had to box rather than trade with Derbyshire, to be sure of winning the Central Area title, although he accepted that might not have been good for entertainment purposes."The fight probably went perfect from a boxing perspective" he said."I knew I could stand and have a fight with him, that's all he could do.He is a brawler, he hit hard, so I knew I just had to box him. What else could I do?"He said Derbyshire had rushed in with his head in a dangerous place."I just had to be nice and relaxed, nice and composed" said Frank, who had been studying clips of Sugar Ray Leonard the night before."He was probably the toughest I have boxed. Fitness was the key. I just want to get those rounds under my belt. If I am going to do it the old fashioned way, I want the English title."That's the next belt I have got in mind."At the end of the day I will fight anyone. All my job is to train hard and keep beat whoever is put in front of me."

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