BOXING starlets from Essex rubbed shoulders with former world champions during a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York.

A group of 21 fighters from across the county arrived back in the UK yesterday following an action-packed week in the Big Apple.

Many came away with victories from showcase bouts with local fighters, and all gained invaluable experience.

One of the highlights was a show at Blues legend BB King’s Jazz Club in Times Square on Saturday night, where two teenagers from Basil-don’s Chalvedon Amateur Boxing Club recorded career best wins.

Former world champions Junior Jones and Iran Barkley were among the celebrities in the crowd to see Lee Martin, 19, beat Metro-area fighter Marlon Brown on points, and Billy Wooders get the nod from the judges against Metro’s Shawn Camron.

The Daily News-sponsored event was kicked off with renditions of the British and American anthems, and was hosted by Vincent Pastore, one of the stars of hit TV drama series, the Sopranos.

And Chalvedon’s Nicholas Tipler — the group’s youngest member at just 15-years-old — beat Bronx fighter Raylee Cuafrac at an event the previous night.

There were 16 fights over the week and all were settled on points. There were eight wins for the lads from Essex, and eight for local fighters, many of whom train at the world-famous Gleason’s Gym, which has produced boxing legends including Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.

In addition to the Chalvedon successes, there were wins for Col-chester’s Jason Vearse, Chadwell St Mary’s Jake Wise, Belhus Park’s Michael Evans-Smith, Vange & Pitsea’s Yohan Fonseca, and Billericay’s Steven Wood.

There were narrow defeats for Canvey’s Vinzenz Kueuch and Christian Goddard, Southend’s Daniel Newth, Harwich’s Marcus Poston, Clacton’s Joshua Brown, Braintree’s Jack Deer, and Rayleigh duo Jamie Homer and Michael Chalkley.

Southend’s Billy Polkinghorn and Conor Ward, Chadwell St Mary’s Michael Maloney, Billericay’s Karl Davis, and Rayleigh’s Louis Moody took part in exhibition sparring matches.

In their spare time the group went to see rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis perform, and stayed fit by jogging around Central Park. They also laid a wreath at Ground Zero to mark the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Essex’s team manager Barry Bowers said: “It was incredible to see lads from small clubs across Essex holding their own in New York.

“All the fighters acquitted themselves well, and they have come away with experiences they will never forget.”