Both Weston boxing clubs turned out to take part in a gentleman’s evening at the Winter Gardens.

THE Round Table hosted a gentlemen’s evening at the Winter Gardens, with a super line-up of amateur boxing, involving both Weston clubs.

First in the line-up was a female event involving Weston Warriors’ Gemma Baker (18) from Sandford, making her debut against Natasha Williams of Tredegar, South Wales.

Gemma attacked from the bell, forcing Natasha onto the back foot. However, the Welsh girl tried to repel the onslaught with an attacking flurry herself, but Gemma maintained the momentum throughout all three rounds and came out triumphant.

Second on the bill was Backwell’s Sam Higgins, aged 13, for Weston ABC. He was still looking for his first win and standing in his way was Joe Power of Kingswood, Bristol.

Sam showed some nice footwork movement and counter punching, but allowed his opponent too much time to set up his own attacks, with Power taking the win.

Marcus Preddy, also 13, son of Weston Warriors head coach Rob Preddy, was next on, facing two-time Western Counties champion Mikey Buckley of Puriton ABC.

Both boxers started well, but Preddy edged ahead by the end of the first. He opened up a comfortable lead in the second round, but in the third he began to tire, allowing Buckley back in the game, but Preddy had done enough to earn a majority win.

Weston Warriors were on a roll with two out of two. Next in was hot prospect Bryan Coloma, aged 21, originally from the Phillipines, but now boxing out of Weston.

He was making his debut at bantamweight and his opponent was Ryan Davis of Tredegar. Coloma was relentless, forcing the referee to step in to give a standing eight count and bringing the contest to an early finish.

Sixteen-year-old Sean Zamick of Kings of Wessex School took on Ryan Baker of Titans ABC, Burnham. Both boxers being debutants, gave it their all for the first two rounds. Both tired in the third round, but they hung onto the final bell with Zamick getting the decision.

Weston’s Ashley Holder stepped up from lightweight to welterweight to face James Townsend of Walcot ABC, Swindon for bout six of the evening. The taller Townsend came out hard, with Holder trying to match him. Holder displayed some of his best boxing of his short career to date to win the contest unanimously.

Weston Warriors’ final combatant of the evening was Liam Giddings in his first middleweight contest. He also faced a debutant in Cwmcarn’s Dan Pulley, the Welsh boxer was physically huge, but Giddings kept Pulley at range and went on to win by one point.

With the same surname but not related, was Weston ABC’s popular boxer Jake Giddings who faced Jamie Weetch of Cwmcarn ABC, South Wales. The musclebound Weetch attacked furiously from the opening bell, but Jake closed up a tight defence and went on to win by a majority.

The final bout of the evening was Weston ABC’s 2002 national light-middleweight champion Daniel Devane. In his first bout for four years, he took on Western Counties elite light-middleweight ABA champion Dan Sarkozi of Empire ABC, Bristol.

In the second round, Devane started to gain the upper hand, but was caught by a sweet left hook from the retreating Sarkozi which busted Devane’s nose and Weston coach John Cleary decided to throw in the towel.

It was a great evening of boxing, with both clubs wishing to thank all their coaches for their support.