AMATEUR boxers from all over Wales have taken on the best of Barry.
Colcot Amateur Boxing Club (Colcot ABC) hosted its winter boxing show at the Barry Island Sports and Social Club, last Thursday.
Barry has a famously rich boxing culture. Colcot ABC is labelled as “The Home of Champions”, having bred a host of international boxers over the years.
World champion Lee Selby and his boxing brother Andrew were there to support the competitors from their home club. Lee, who is the reigning IBF Featherweight Champion, and Andrew who is a professional Flyweight presented trophies to the young boxers.
The show, which was attended by over 100 supporters from boxing clubs across Wales, included 11 competitive bouts, exhibition fights and a special skills display by Colcot’s youngest boxer on the night, William Day, aged eight. The club also held a raffle and raised £100 for the charity Scope UK.
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Despite the challenge going out to clubs from all over Wales, competition came mostly from South Wales boxing clubs. Boxers came from Caerau Ely ABC, Pinewood ABC, Penarth ABC, Splott ABC, Llanrumney Pheonix ABC and Highfields ABC.
For the schoolboy bouts, the boxers fought for three 90-second rounds. Senior boxers fought for two-minute rounds.
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Colcot ABC won five out of 11 competitive fights after falling short of a few split decisions from the judges. It was not the result the club wanted but the coach Wayne Gurd said he was immensely proud of all the boxers.
“None had easy fights and they all boxed superbly. Boxing is not something you can learn overnight and we are all learning as we go, even myself after 30 years involvement with amateur boxing,” he added.
For the second time in the club’s history, Colcot ABC was voted the Best Amateur Boxing Club of the Year by the Referees and Judges association this year.
