BROTHERS-in-arms Ioan and Garan Croft became the first twins in 40 years to claim titles at the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs boxing finals at Bristol's Broadplain Community Centre on Sunday.

Southpaw Ioan won on a split decision against Sheffield's Jake Fawthrop (Steel City ABC), who proved a very strong and rough opponent.

But Croft, 16, kept his composure and made the most of what space he could get to land some lovely left hands to earn a narrow points triumph. Garan faced another strong opponent, Lancashire's Adil Iqbal (Fit2XL), who both the boxer and his dad, Cardigan ABC head coach Guy Croft, expected to come storming out from the start.

However, the Welsh teenager took the centre of the ring from the onset and kept catching Adil with clean ones and twos throughout the fight en route to a split decision.

“For me, he was a clear winner, displaying some lovely boxing,” a delighted Croft senior said afterwards.

“Both boys have shown their superior fitness throughout, finishing all their bouts strongly while their opponents were showing signs of fatigue by the end.”

The previous week Ioan had overcome Repton's Adan Mohamed in the NABGC semi-finals at Bristol's Henbury Leisure Centre.

When the pair met in East Ham back in October Croft had found himself on the wrong end of a hotly-disputed points decision.

This time – on neutral ground - Ioan kept the same pattern as the last bout, holding hard to the centre of the ring and making his opponent do all the running in what proved a very close, technical fight which went to the Welsh boy on a split decision.

Garan also got home on a split decision against Will Ollifant (Bodyshots ABC) who he had narrowly beaten in the Three Nations semi-finals in Rotherham last April.