Hotel event packs a real punch
Young boxers from around the country and Ireland made their way to Rutherglen for a top night of sporting action.
Durie’s ABC held 12 competitive bouts and two non-scoring matches at the Kings Park Hotel on Friday, February 16.
Stephen Mullen, 22, topped the bill as he put on an entertaining tussle with Bellahouston ABC’s Danny Lyness. The Durie’s boxer had the crowd on their feet and rose to the occasion by winning his home debut by a 4-1 split decision.
Two local youngsters got the show off to a flyer. Nine-year-old Ben Hamilton and Ruby Samson from Cambuslang took on brother and sister Liam and Chloe Johnstone, of Doonhamers ABC, in the cub bouts.
In competitive action was Lewis Millar, 34kg, fresh and in form since his Western District championship win a fortnight ago. The 10-year-old made it three victories in a week by taking his fight with Cambuslang boxer Bradley Welsh, of O’Neils ABC, by unanimous decision.
Next up was fellow Durie’s 10 year-old Saif Akram, 36kg. Although he finished strongly in each round, the youngster lost his bout by a unanimous decision to current Western District champion Sonny Dawson from Dumfries.
Irish boxer Shane Holden made the trip over from Killkenny to face Durie’s Raja Rahman, 13, in a 39kg contest. The home fighter just edged his Marble City ABC opponent by a 3-2 split decision.
Euan Caldwell was also in good form for the club hosts and showed great boxing skills in his 44kg fight against Glasgow City ABC‘s Faris Mahmood. His fast feet and punches caught Mahmood time and time again. And the crisp, clean left and right hooks ensured he came out victorious by unanimous decision - a performance which awarded him the best home boxer title by the judges.
King’s Park 15-year-old Kyle McGee was in a real toe-to-toe cracker with current Western District champion David Strang from Noble Art BC.
The bout could have gone either way with both lads landing big right hand shots, but it went 3-2 on the judges’ score cards to the away boxer.
Cambuslang teen Shea Boland, 66kg, made his debut for Durie’s against Doonhamer Ross Hutchison. And the 17-year-old boxed really well behind a good strong, left jab to bag himself his first victory.
Next in was Sinead Price-Greene, who has been plagued by injury in the last couple of months. She gave her all in the three rounds but was not so successful as the taller opponent, Shannon Lawson, secured the win.
Head coach of the Rutherglen club, Archie Durie, said “Overall it was a brilliant show with every fight being real close. Having our friends from Ireland come over and have three of their lads take part in the show made it even better.”
See next week’s Reformer for reaction and photos from the Scottish Open Championships