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A teenage boxer from south Bristol who won his first national title and represented England in the same week continues what is becoming a boxing dynasty.

Mckenzie Hand is undefeated as an amateur, he is the reigning junior rookie national champion and last week he won the Amateur Boxing Alliance junior national title in his weight division, albeit because his opponent couldn’t fight because he was over the weight limit. Then later last week, the 16-year-old boxed for England at flyweight, and won, in a series of fights between England and Israel in London.

It is the final step towards what is expected to be a successful amateur career setting up a professional debut, and the young Mckenzie will help create a family boxing dynasty in Knowle West.

Read next: ‘Always believe’: How Knowle West boxing gym was saved from closure

The young fighter is the grandson of Chris ‘Skemer’ Winters, a promising amateur boxer who has had 30 fights since he was nine years old, but whose career in the ring was cut short by injury. Skemer then began a coaching and coaching career, setting up his own boxing gym which for years was at The Park in Knowle West, and is now in Wedmore Vale.

Skemer’s son, Duane ‘The Gasman’ Winters, recently retired from a successful professional career that saw him become the first Bristol boxer to win the Southern Area title belt and get a British title shot live by television in 2019.

Mckenzie is the last of the family to step into the ring. Her mother, Natasha, is Skemer’s daughter, and his uncle Duane Winters is training him, with the help of Jacob Croot and Skemer himself at his Bedminster gym.

The young fighter is also receiving expert guidance at Paddy John’s Gym in Warmley from renowned Bristol trainer Andy O’Kane and former European champion Joe Hughes and as a Knowle West lad he has another local lad cheering on his fledgling career: the England rugby captain. Ellis Genge is a huge fan.

Mckenzie is already attracting sponsors, including PPS Builders and Pro Scaffolding, who sponsored his uncle throughout his professional boxing career.

In a close matchup with Israeli fighter Itamar Srur, Mckenzie won a majority decision on points, earning his debut fight representing England.

Mckenzie began boxing at his grandfather’s gym at the age of eight and is shown above in 2017, at the age of 11, when Bristol Live highlighted the importance of the gym to the Knowle West community, before moving to the Wedmore Vale hill for the current location.

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