A great evening at WHCS.
Here’s what happened on an enjoyable evening:-
Despite the treacherous conditions, the fourth annual show with Harwich Amateur Boxing Club – sponsored by EasyCall – produced thirteen cracking bouts.
Colchester United’s Weston Homes Community Stadium held its latest Boxing Dinner last Friday night, as some of the best local boxing talent came to the U’s home venue.
Rather appropriately, whilst at a football ground venue, hosts Harwich ABC encountered a game of two halves in terms of their junior and senior boxers’ performances, with the Juniors winning 5 from 6, and the seniors notching a solitary win from 5, albeit all defeats came via split decisions.
Still maintaining his great form this season was senior John Wheatley. This time he lined up against New Asterly ABC’s seasoned campaigner Jamie Corner in a welterweight pairing. Corner got off to a better start and snatched the first round, with Wheatley bouncing back in the second with his trademark left hook racking up the points. With the outcome relying on who performed best in the last, Wheatley used his greater fitness to good effect to take a deserved unanimous points decision.
Stand out performer in the Juniors was 11-year-old Callum Roberto-Sparkes who looked for his first win at the second attempt. A nicely controlled performance saw him take every round against Norwich Diamonds’ Luke Betts, to take a unanimous points win and the best home boxer of the night award.
Kasey Bradnum continued his recent run of good form in his encounter with Hurstlea ABC’s debutante Lewis Jordan. The Suffolk boxer started the more purposeful, however it wasn’t long before Bradnum’s greater experience and ring savvy took control, as he launched a number of ferocious attacks. A majority points win went the way of the ever improving 14-year-old Harwich lad.
Newcomer and 12-year-old Frazer Mann shared the opener with Norwich Diamonds’ Liam Kidd, before going up a gear and taking hold of the bout. Pressure tactics paid off as Mann forced standing 8 counts in the middle session and two in the last, bringing about a automatic stoppage win in his debut contest.
15-year-old Patrick Allen-Cripps faced Colchester local, Castle ABC’s James Redman in an interesting 3 x 2 minute round match up. After engaging in a scrappy battle in the opener, Allen-Cripps then let his boxing skills take over in rounds two and three to run out a majority points winner.
Tommie Smith took on Norwich Diamonds’ Zach Williams, who dominated 90% of the opening round, only for the Harwich boxer to explode a thunderous punch to bring about a standing 8 count virtually on the bell. 16-year-old Smith kept the momentum going in the second and after another heavy punch caught Williams, the referee had seen enough to award another win to the Harwich junior section.
Rounding off the Juniors competitive action was 11-year-old Stevie Martin, who gave a great account of himself before just coming up short on a points decision to Trumpington ABC’s Tom Ward.
Alfie Smith was unable to produce a family win double, after seeing brother Tommie win earlier in the evening. Accomplished southpaw Mark Samuels from New Asterly ABC did just enough to edge out the industrious 17-year-old smith on a majority points verdict.
50 bout veteran Joey Avenell and senior debutant Curtis Marvan both struggled to find their form in pairings with Danny Newth of Beewise ABC and Josh Seal of Triple ABC respectively, before both going down on split verdicts.
The final bout of the night saw Harwich light middleweight Jack Shirmer take on Connor Vian from nearby 2 Para. Vian edged rounds one and two, however a big finish in the dying seconds of the last round nearly saw Shirmer home. A majority points win went the way of the soldier.
Earlier in the evening, Jack Farrow (aged 10) took part in a no decision skills bout with Frankie Bacon from the Triple A club and indicated he will be one to watch out for the future, as both boys demonstrated a wide range of skills for boxers so young.
After the show, Head Coach Martin Webb commented: “It was a stressful period leading up to the show, as the weather forecast indicated snow which had potential to see the tournament abandoned if boxers and officials couldn’t get to Colchester. I’m pleased to say we defeated the weather and the majority of our boxers defeated their opponents.
“I was particularly pleased with the junior sections performance, as it shows we have strength in depth and although we only had one victorious return from five from the seniors, the four defeats were all on split decisions, which shows how close we came to totally dominating nearly all our contests.
“A big thanks to Colchester United, EasyCall, the officials and of course the boxers and coaches who all came through in difficult external conditions to combine to produce a tremendous event.”