SECONDS OUT

BOXER BRANDON HAS A HEART OF GOLD:

A teenager took part in a marathon 24- hour challenge to help raise money for his beloved boxing club.

Brandon Butler, 13, has been going to Renfrewshire Boxing in Johnstone for the last two years.

It’s been closed since lockdown began so he decided to do something to raise money for the Macdowall Street club.

Starting at noon last Saturday he ran for a mile and continued to run one mile every hour, on the hour, until noon the next day.

He said: “The boxing club has been my life for the last two years. It’s all I’ve really thought about.

“This was my way of giving back. I thought of the challenge myself and decided I was going to do it.

“It was hard going at times but the adrenalin kept me going. I couldn’t sleep when it was finished because my legs were hurting that bad but I did sleep eventually.”

The Johnstone High pupil has raised more than £1,000 so far, money that gym manager Colin Bellshaw says is very welcome.

He said: “We’ve still got running costs to pay on the building and insurance and registration, things like that.

“It’s been difficult. This money will really help.

“For Brandon to go out and do that is a thoughtful gesture. We don’t know when we’ll be back open and we know it’s a big part of the boys’ lives.”

Colin said Brandon was a promising boxer and he was delighted with what he’d done.

“He had it out there before he told us what he was planning, probably because I would have tried to talk him out of it!” he added.

“The coaches spoke to him beforehand, gave him some advice on what to eat and how to keep going. Our youth development coach Robert Armstrong, who’s been a boxer for about 50 years, went along and ran the last mile with him.

“Brandon is dedicated, he’s got a good talent. We think he’ll be really good. He’s still at the novice stage but he’s showing lots of potential.”

Brandon’s dad Charlie added; “This was just in response to the Covid-19 thing. He’s desperate to get back to the boxing gym and he wanted to raise money for them.

“He was determined he was going to do it in one go. We’re very proud of him.”

To give to Brandon’s fundraising, go to www. gofundme.com/Renfrewshireboxing