Manx ABC’s Nikki Arthur added to her ever growing collection of medals as she picked up a well-deserved bronze at the Esker International Box Cup in Dublin over the weekend.

The competition is the biggest all-female event in Europe and this year saw its biggest entry with more than 330 taking part from as far away as Canada.

Manx ABC captain Arthur along with team-mate Jade Burden were both selected to represent a strong North West region squad.

Unfortunately Burden was forced to pull out because of illness which left Arthur to join up with the 16-strong squad.

Having weighed in at the lighter category of 54kg, Arthur was placed in one of the competition’s toughest groups, which included national champions from Ireland, Sweden and Canada.

The draw wasn’t kind to the Commonwealth Games hopeful and her first bout saw her fight number one seed and Canadian number four featherweight Scarlett Delgado.

Arthur wasn’t phased by her opponent and went at her from the first bell, both boxers exchanging good close combinations early on in the bout.

The Canadian Olympic hopeful was just that little bit quicker on the counter-attacks and ended the first round slightly ahead.

Arthur stepped up the pressure in the second and had her opponent on the back foot for most of the round but again the Canadian’s counter punches just seemed to edge it.

Throwing caution to the wind in the final round, the Manx ABC captain piled on the pressure and at times had her opponent in a bit of trouble. Delgado showed good defensive work and at the final bell the number one seed was declared points winner.

A bronze-medal box-off awaited Arthur and it couldn’t have been any more difficult as she faced the reining Irish 54kg national champion Clodagh McCominsky from the famous Holy Trinity Boxing Club in Dublin.

McCominsky, bouyed by the partisan crowd, started the bout in lively fashion but Arthur was having none of it and replied in kind, forcing the Irish international back on the ropes. A strong finish by Arthur looked to secure the points at the end of the first round.

The QEII teacher started the second round as she finished the first, in full flow and high tempo, landing some big right hands and fast combinations.

The Irish champion tried to compose herself but the relentless work rate of Arthur was proving too much and she was fortunate that the round bell sounded as the ref was about to administer the first standing count of the bout.

In the final round Arthur again forced her opponent back. The Dublin girl did have some success but Nikki’s defensive work was impressive and her counter-punching very accurate. This meant at the final bell Arthur was awarded a unanimous points decision.

After a gruelling six-week training programme a bronze medal was the least the Manx boxer deserved.

This performance was unquestionably Nikki’s most impressiveto date and gives the Isle of Man captain a timely boost ahead of the selection deadline for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Since stepping up to elite international level Arthur has proven that she belongs and can now add the scalp of the Irish champion to the one of the Scottish champion who she beat more than a year ago.

l Manx ABC boxers will be back in action in Manchester on Friday, October 27.