A COUNTY boxer has reached the final of the Scottish Elite Boxing Championships.

Junior Burton, who serves in the army and walked away uninjured after his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan in 2015, booked his place in the showdown with a semi-final win over highly-rated Stephen Boyle in Glasgow on Saturday.

Now, he is preparing to take on Nathaniel Collins in the final of the coveted championships next Saturday (April 1).

Burton, from Wallyford, told Courier Sport he was “over the moon” to have reached the final. He said: “I’m really looking forward to the fight. I’ve got great support from my business partner Steve Crawford of JB Combat Bootcamp and the community that come along to classes in East Lothian.”

The 28-year-old former Musselburgh Grammar School pupil started his boxing career at Bronx Boxing Gym in Tranent.

Alex Brown, who founded the gym, was delighted. He told Courier Sport: “This is a huge achievement already for Junior and would be an awesome win, as it is only his first season in the elite category.

“He is now just realising his true potential.”

The final is at Ravenscraig, in Motherwell next Saturday.