Chepstow Amateur Boxing Club Show

------

YOUNG boxers gave their all in an evening of quality boxing.

Hosts Chepstow ABC had seven boxers on the card and a large and enthusiasatic crowd got behind them.

Chepstow welcomed clubs from as far away as Swansea, Southampton and Shropshire, who brought some quality boxers with them.

The first local bout was a skills contest fea- turing nine-year-old Willander Ordinando.

Chepstow head coach Steve Woods said: “In a skills contest there is no winner or loser, but Willander boxed brilliantly.”

Next into the ring was 12-year-old Oliver Russell who, at 65kg is “an absolute giant”.

He was up against James Connor of the Splott club in Cardiff who fought aggressively, but Oliver outboxed him for the win.

Ten-year-old Jerry Cash was up against Josh Beazer of Lympstone in Devon.

It was an evenly- matched contest which could have gone either way, but the judges gave it to Jerry on a split decision.

Tommy Dolan put in one of his best-ever performances in his bout against Kai Powell of Gwent Valleys club Cwmcarn.

Steve said: “It was probably Tommy’s best-ever performance and I thought he had done enough to win it.

“Kai was stronger at the beginning of every round, but Tommy was outboxing him at the end of every round but he lost on a split.

“Although he lost I was pleased with the way he boxed.”

Gussie Cash was up against Stevo McCarthy of Southampton’s Golden Ring club and won what Steve Woods thought was one of the best bouts of the night.

“Gussie was up against a top class boxer from a top class club,” he said.

“I thought it could be the best bout of the night and Gussie could have got best boxer.

“It was a superb bout and was a good win for Gussie.”

Seventeen-year-old Luke Connor was paired with Keiron Bragg and despite Luke’s “relentless” effort, Keiron was the better boxer and won.

It was Patrick Larkin’s first bout as an elite senior, which meant no head guards and three-minute rounds.

The clash with Mark Davies of Caerphilly was voted the bout of the evening, with Davies also being declared boxer of the night,

Neither gave an inch, but Davies used his experience in the three-minute format to pace himself slightly better and take the decision.

Steve said: “I was really impressed by how our boxers boxed against these top boxers,

“It’s probably the best show I’ve put on,” he added. “You only learn by boxing people who are as good or better than you.

“I always try to make the matches 50:50, so that you don’t know if they are going to win or lose.”