Keighley Amateur Boxing Club had a champion weekend, with three boxers winning at Halifax Irish Centre and heavyweight comeback kid Craig Higgs taking the Yorkshire Senior Novice title in his first bout in seven years.

Jaleel Khalid took a majority decision over Jake Harbot of Halifax Star last Friday night. The elusive Harbot made the Keighley boxer look untidy as Khalid struggled to find a way through his opponent’s defence.

But his dogged determination saw him score enough points to snatch the decision.

Hassan Istiaq made easier work of tough Liverpudlian Gary Egan with a unanimous points win. Though recovering from illness, Istiaq rose to the occasion, drawing on his high level of fitness from dedicated training in the gym and on the road.

Sohail Ayub took revenge for a previous loss when he out-pointed Aiden Buckley of Rotherham. Ayub dominated his opponent for the first two rounds. Buckley regained his composure in round three when he came forward with renewed strength and determination. But Ayub kept his cool and, boxing off the back foot, caught his incoming opponent with a series of classy counterpunches to gain a majority-points win.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Craig Higgs came back in style after a seven-year hiatus when he won the Yorkshire Senior Novice title in Beverley on Saturday night. In his toughest ever bout, Higgs took on Richard Lewis of the St Pauls Club, Hull, and had to come from behind late in the day.

Higgs was caught with a blinding punch in the first round and took a standing count.

At the end of round two, the Keighley boxer was further behind on points and lost another two marks for hitting after the bell at the end of round three. But the tide turned in the fourth and final round when the strong Hull boxer appeared to have run out of steam.

Higgs saw his chance and pummelled Lewis with a series of hard, accurate shots. Lewis had no answer and allowed Higgs to claw his way back to an eventual 13-10 win. Higgs now goes forward to the next round of the national competition, boxing this Saturday at Retford in Nottinghamshire.