NORTHAMPTON SAYS GOODBYE

Colin Ward, Danny Kemp and Charlie Makepeace remembered, writes Matt Bozeat

NORTHAMPTON ABC said goodbye to three of their former fighters ahead of their show at the Park Inn Hotel.

The funerals of both Colin Ward and Danny Kemp were held in the week leading up to the show and club stalwart Charlie Makepeace died days before. Ward served his amateur apprenticeship with the club and went on to share a pair of fights with Dave Proud and prove to be a stubborn opponent for Kirkland Laing during his 21-fight pro career, while Kemp was very much ‘Mr Northampton ABC.’ He boxed for the club in the 1960s and according to local folklore, he had around 400 bouts before concentrating on training.

John Morris, the former General Secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control who set up the club in 1953, said: “Danny was what amateur boxing was all about. He loved the sport, would box anyone and when he stopped boxing, he went into coaching the youngsters. Danny was coaching until near the end.”

Ward and John Daly were gym mates in both amateur and pro gyms.

Daly, head coach of Far Cotton ABC, described Ward, who was 64 years old when he died, as “a really good, tidy boxer and the best person I’ve ever met.”

On the show Harley Turner claimed the Best Boxer trophy following his unanimous points win over Sonny Mcelligott (March).

Long and lean, Turner boxed well from the outside behind a sharp jab and when Mcelligott was able to get close and let his hands go, Harley kept his cool.

Mcelligott had his best moments in the dying seconds when he got through with left hooks to body and head, but by the bell, he was under fire on the ropes.

The flashy Yousuf Ibrahim also impressed. Ibrahim picked off Dylan Harman (Boston) to win their youth bout unanimously, while Northampton clubmate Derren Taylor didn’t need the judges. Taylor crashed a right hand off Caine Reader’s jaw in the third round, stiffening his legs.

That led to an eight-count and on its completion, the referee decided Reader (Melton) was too dazed to continue.