Railway hopes high for new generation
Young fighters go for glory at novice tournament
Perth Railway Boxing has sweet memories from the Scottish Novice Championships.
And the city centre club is hoping to celebrate more success this weekend when fighters take to the Ravenscraig ring.
Luke Bibby was crowned novice champion last year and the next crop of members are vying to bring home more gold.
Taylor Neill and Liam Roy will be representing the Perth club on Saturday.
For coach and secretary Stuart Campbell the competition offers up a great chance for local boxers to show off their ability.
“Taylor Neill is in at junior 48kg, where we would hope he can grab the gold,” Stuart said. “He is improving with every bout.
“He won two weeks ago in Inverness so has good momentum going into the competition.
“Liam Roy is in a tough draw at youth 69kg, which is a popular category. Liam is coming back from a dislocated shoulder but he is the most experienced boxer in the draw, with the maximum allowable bouts of six.
“Hopefully this will help him get to the medal stages.
“Luke’s success last year has led the way for the other boys and they know what can be achieved with hard work.
“It is also a great motivator for the coaches, who want to replicate Luke’s success with the other boxers.
“Luke has gained sponsorship from County Clays, Perth’s body academy and Steven Graham’s Joiners.
“This is testament to how the Perth public are willing him and the club on. Success breeds success.”
It has been a busy start to the season for Railway boxers, Stuart said, with the latest tests in the ring coming in Montrose.
Zack Fummey and Luke Bibby both nailed down victories, resulting in a feel-good factor sweeping through the club.
Stuart said: “Zack was coming off a couple of losses and the previous week he had been stopped by Caine Dooley from Sparta at their Grangemouth show. The week before he was beaten narrowly at Inverness.
“These two bouts were against heavier opponents at the lower end of middleweight.
“Zack is naturally a welterweight at 69kg so this bout at Montrose against David Young of Kincorth was at 69kg.
“Obviously this suited Zack as he boxed intelligently on the back foot and got the win.
“He will now be going for the Northern District Championships in November at 69kg.
“Luke was in the ring with George Reid, Arbroath, who he had beaten last season. Luke is now a bit older, maturing and with that has come a bit of size gain. Although he made it under the 62kg this was probably his last bout at this weight.
“Luke started slowly but came back and dug in to win the second and third. It was a good win.
“The club has had one of its earliest starts and with Taylor, Zack and Luke it’s been a successful start.
“Tony Williamson is back and along with Zack is going for the Northern District Championships in November and at 69kg it’s a possibility that he
Coach Steven Petrie, Taylor Neill, Zack Fummey and Luke Bibby
could meet Zack and it could be an all-Railway Boxing Club final.
“Although they are friends, they can put that aside once through the ropes. The possibility of medals is high this season.
“We also are looking to enter Luke into the Hull Box Cup in June.
“We’ll keep him busy, enter into the open and, fingers crossed, get a Scotland vest.”
Club coach Gary Wilson recently recorded his second successive win.
Stuart added: “Gary leads by example and is showing the boxers how it’s done.
“All the lads look up to Gary and he is always giving great advice and training hard alongside them, as well as cracking the whip on Tuesday and Thursday.”