A joint boxing tournament was held by Weston’s two clubs at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre.

HUTTON Moor Leisure Centre was the venue for Weston’s two boxing clubs annual joint boxing tournament.

Weston Boxing Club’s Jiley Lamb, aged 11, opened the show with a fantastic display in only being his second full competitive contest against Nathan Hughes of Chard. Throughout the contest he applied pressure, keeping his opponent on the back foot to take the decision on all the judges’ cards

Jamie Claridge (12), was next in against Taylor Bevan of Eastleigh. Jamie was the dominant force from the start, but was warned several times for using the inside of the glove which counted against him when losing on a split decision.

Thirteen-year-old Weston boxer Wesley Williams had to get the club back to winning ways against Lympstone’s Paul Silk and did just that with a fine performance to get him the decision against the classy Lympstone lad.

Issac Follows, another 13-year-old Weston boxer was making his debut against an opponent a year older, Bailey Nixon of Priorswood, Taunton. Issac started well but gave it his all too early, fading off to give Nixon the decision.

Another 13-year-debutant for Weston was Jordan Baker, who faced National Smelting, Bristol’s Joe Mullen, both have met before in a skills display. Jordan worked a forceful jab continuously from the start and stopped his opponent in the second round.

Fourteen-year-old Scott Davey faced Aaron Robinson of Lympstone. This bout was difficult to split the two of them, but it was Robinson that got the decision on a split. However, some consolation Scott was that he was nominated the events best runner-up.

Aiden Claridge, elder brother of Jamie, was making his debut for Weston, against the Harry Sasse of Tamar, Plymouth. Thirteen-year-old Aiden surprised all his coaches with a controlled winning performance.

The final bout before the interval was Weston National Schoolboy finalist Wallace Attwell (13). The taller opponent of Lympstone’s Dean Tribble put up a good battle, but Wallace was just too good, and took the decision on all the judge’s cards, also gaining the award of the night’s best junior boxer.

After the interval, Weston Warriors’ Liam Mitchell (14) was making his debut against Well’s boxer Sonny Pearce, and both boxer’s gave it there all for three rounds. It was Pearce who got the decision, but there was rapturous applause for both boxers.

Warrior’s Alan Norman (26) and Lewis Mulhall (20) unfortunately did not get to box as both their opponents pulled out.

Weston’s 16-year-old Sam Higgins had a re-match against Downend’s Wesley Taylor, after Sam won the first contest. It was Taylor who had the edge this time round in a close fought contest.

Ollie Giddings (20), last year’s best tournament senior boxer, put on another class performance against Lester Bevan of Eastleigh. Bevan came out hard, but Ollie countered everything and was awarded a clear winner’s decision, and again the event’s best senior boxer awarded by the the Royal Hotel.

Another re-match of the evening was Weston boxer Ashley Holder (22), against Jame’s Townsend of Horseshoe, Swindon, Ashley having won the first contest, has been out of the ring for a year and it showed, even though he fought well his timing was slightly out which gave Townsend the decision in a closely-fought contest.

The final bout of the evening was Damon Godbeer (35) who brought a big following. However, it was a contest that really should not of took place as Damon had damaged his ribs the previous week and it was evident as soon as he took a punch to the ribs in the first round against Eastleigh’s Gareth Hitchmough, that all was not well. Having gone to his knees twice in the first round, the referee stopped the contest early in the second round.

A great night’s entertainment, sponsored by Call on Security Ltd, brought in a smaller crowd than usual, but it was great to get 13 boxers from Weston competing on home soil.