WILLAM WALLACE BOX CUP
Scotland’s first homegrown Box Cup could become a regular fixture
STIRLING JULY 8-11
THE inaugural William Wallace Box Cup, originally scheduled to start in July 2020, was a triumph.
It was organised by the Jonesy’s Boxing Club from Plean, Stirlingshire and was the brainchild of head coach James Casey and Ricky Welsh. Ricky is the father of Lee Welsh, boxing’s internet sensation back in 2016, posting training videos from his hospital ward as he bravely battled Non-hodgkin lymphoma. Thankfully Lee is now in full remission.
James Casey said that the hospitality, friendship, and quality of boxing on show at all of the Box Cups they visited would hopefully be mirrored in their own event to ensure they cement the William Wallace Box Cup into the Scottish boxing calendar.
A total of 44 clubs took part, 31 from all over Scotland, 10 from England, with the North East and West Midlands very well represented along with Peterborough. Walsall Wood BC came away with six golds, Cwmavan Hornets took two golds back to Wales and there was Ballyclare BC, Northern Ireland and a Co Derry Boxing Board team.
The organisation was slick and seamless. Ricky Welsh insisted that it was due to the team that he and James had around them, from the backroom volunteers at Jonesy’s Boxing Club, who are used to running successful club shows, the Jablink team who run the computerised draw for such places as Haringey & Hull, and the excellent Boxing Scotland officials with assistance from Matthew Morgan and Adele Callaghan (England Boxing) and Co Derry referees Jim Knox and Eugene O’kane.
Ricky said: “On conclusion of the Box Cup we will seek feedback from clubs, boxers, and spectators to allow us to improve for next year. For us at Jonesy’s Boxing Club in our first year of hosting this event it was all about ensuring as many boxers as possible got bouts and that everyone enjoys themselves.
“We will review the feedback and look to improve for next year and beyond.”
Looking at the feedback on social media, Scottish boxing definitely has a new July fixture in the William Wallace Box Cup.