New gym coming to Bath

A Bath boxing coach is hoping to bring the sport’s glory days back to the city with his new venture. Darren Sullivan, a veteran coach on the local scene who has been working with Bristol-based Paddy John’s Gym most recently, is opening his own gym at Bath Sports & Leisure Centre on North Parade. The Roman Boxing Gym will be holding its inaugural meeting this Saturday with an open day running from 2-4pm. He will be joined by special guest Joe Hughes, the Bath-born pugilist who currently holds the EBU European Super Lightweight Championship. “It has always been an ambition of mine to open my own gym,” Sullivan said. “I would like to take my own boxers all the way through from amateur to professional level. “I chose Bath as the location as I boxed in Bath for Percy Boy’s Boxing Club in my youth up to the age of 29 years. My father, grandfather and uncles all boxed for this club before and I would like Bath to be returned to a force in boxing as it used to be.” With the sports centre’s recent revamp, Sullivan is excited at the long-awaited prospect of opening his own club. “After years of hard work and many disappointments we are finally in a position to open a club in a fantastic venue,” he said. “The Bath Sports and Leisure Centre is the ideal location being central to Bath, just five minutes’ walk from the train and bus stations. There are also changing and shower facilities, plenty of parking [pay and display], a café that is handy for parents waiting to pick up, a fitness gym, bowling, swimming, trampolining and more.” Anyone over the age of eight is welcomed to attend the gym, and whatever their experience they will be in good hands. Sullivan said: “As many of you know, I currently coach at Paddy John’s in Bristol and will still be very much involved with that club. “I have been an amateur and professional coach with Paddy Johns gym for seven years, prior to that I had been coaching at Frome Boxing Club since 2004. “I have been a Western Counties senior coach and the regional coach matchmaker to the Bristol Sporting Club shows, which involved matchmaking against the British Army and the Royal Navy teams and included taking the regional boxing team on several trips to Guernsey amateur shows.” After the open day, sessions will take place on Wednesday and Friday evenings from 5.30pm.to find out more visit facebook.com/ Romanboxinggym.