Brighton's Dean Larter won the English Novices Championship amid a hostile atmosphere in Yorkshire last weekend.

Light-welterweight Larter was crowned champion after overcoming home fighter Steve Brookes, who hails from Wombwell in Yorkshire.

The majority of the crowd at Nottinglea were roaring their support for Brookes but 25-year-old Larter silenced their cries with an impressive display of boxing.

Larter, who fights for Savages ABC, said: "It was a hard fight and a good fight, and people were coming up to me afterwards saying what a good fight it was.

"I think they enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed being out there.

"I was a bit drained at the end. It has been a long competition. I was also a bit emotional, but very pleased.

"He gave me a standing eight count in the first but in the second round I felt as though I was starting to get into it.

"It was all on the last round and I knew it would be tough. I said it would be whoever wanted it most and I wanted it more."

Larter eventually took a 16-15 points decision from the controversial computer scoring.

Having lost the first round, he got his jab going well to take the second.

Brookes was made to take a standing count in the third round and that proved decisive at the end.

Larter admitted the partisan crowd did not help him. He said: "Three quarters of the crowd were his Brookes supporters and they were trying to unnerve me before the bout. But I answered them in the best way.

"That is mine now and I can always take that with me. It is a good confidence booster which is a big thing in boxing."

The English Novices Champ-ionship is for amateur boxers who have had no more than ten amateur bouts when the competition gets underway.

Larter's record now stands at nine wins from 13 bouts and he will be entered for the full English ABAs in February.