Bronze for boxer Sandford:
Westwood boxer Josh Sandford proved he can pack a meaty punch after winning bronze at the British Lightweight Championships.
The 20-year-old has secured a twoyear sponsorship deal with Hamilton butcher Hendersons and he insisted his new partnership helped lead him to a third-place finish in the 60kg category at the championships on May 28.
Scottish champion Sandford, who fights for Springhill Boxing Club in Shotts, lost to Englishman Cory Oregan in the semi-finals and his rival went on to lift the title at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline.
But he is feeling upbeat about his maiden appearance at the British as he targets the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast and believes his new sponsorship will help his chances of realising his dreams.
He told the News: “Hendersons are sponsoring me for the next two years by providing me with all my protein packs each month.
“It’s made a massive difference to help keep me in shape and it’s important to have this support as I look towards an important couple of years.
“Support like this hard to come by and I’m really thankful to them for backing me.
“I’ve just competed in my first British Championships and I’m reasonably pleased with bronze because I know I will crack it in the next couple of years.
“There wasn’t much in my semifinal match. Corey was just that wee bit sharper on the day and had that extra one per cent.
“I was gutted by the decision because this is the first time in 10 years the British Championships have been held in Scotland, so it would have been great to win it.
“But this experience has been great. It’s building blocks for the future and I will take a lot of positives from it.”
With the season almost at an end, the former Duncanrig Secondary School pupil is now hoping to win a place on the Team GB Olympic Development programme.
He will travel to Sheffield this weekend to take part in trials with the national champions from across the UK.
“It would be a huge deal for me to get on the programme,” said Sandford.
“Funding is difficult to come by but being part of Team GB would really help with that and my training for big events.
“If all goes well this week I’ll be back training with the squad in July, so fingers crossed.”