Watch out Russia, Garner is coming Ryan Garner will attempt to achieve the rare feat of winning back-to-back European Junior Championship titles after being selected to represent England in Russia.

The Southampton ABC fighter scooped gold last year at 52-54kg but has had to move up to 54-57kg for this tournament, which starts on Friday and runs until November 9.

Garner won his place after convincing selectors during an England training camp in Tamworth.

Ryan’s father, Mick Garner, said: “It has been a hard year for Ryan, as once he won last year’s European junior title the next thing would be this year’s England junior championship.

“Ken Smart his match maker/coach/corner man could not find anyone willing to box him so he spent about six months without a competitive fight. There was a lot of training and sparring but as Ryan said you need that edge, where a competitive fight gives you.

“Ryan then got to box when the England championship started and gladly went on to win and he came back buzzing.

“Ryan then took three weeks off and this I think was a turning point, as he had only boxed competitively for that championships and was getting a bit fed up with no more competitive boxing as no one would box him.”

He added: “We had not had a holiday in four years so as a family decided to go and by luck we met London 2012 gold medal winner Luke Campbell’s relatives at the same complex and talked a lot about boxing.

“It was good for Ryan to hear how he coped and we came back and he went straight back to it but a bit heavy at 60kg.

“Then out of the blue came an e-mail last Tuesday for Ryan to attend an England development training camp.

“After the camp the England coach said he would go to Russia as long as he could weigh 58kg and the coach came down and Ryan weighed 57.3kg, so bang on weight.

“Ken has arranged for sparring at the Army to get him in top shape, but he is looking fit.

“Ryan’s ambition has always been to get on the GB podium squad and then represent GB at the Olympics, so he will need to do well hopefully at the Europeans to get a shout for Tokyo or maybe even earlier the commonwealths.”