COMBINEDS RETURN
Combined Services championships are staged once again
THE first Combined Services championship event since the pandemic was held at RAF Halton on Friday (March 17).
The Army Sport Control Board noted: “Boxing was authorised for resumption in July 2021 but did not gather any real momentum until September. Given a near 18-month cessation of activity many of the stalwarts of the Army and Navy boxing teams had to return to career activities or chose to look to alternative boxing opportunities. As such the Army Boxing Team has a new and fresher look but with much less experience for the coaches to work with, but plenty of talent to develop.”
Due to injuries and availability, entries from the RAF and Royal Navy were limited, meaning there were only six championship bouts, giving the Army five wins by walkover.
In the championship bouts the Army’s Lewis Harvey gave away experience against James Thompson, of the RAF, but landed clean single shots and held his own in their exchanges to win a split decision.
The RAF’S Blaine Lambert was busier and more accurate against Connor Sommerville, beating the new Army boxer on a split decision.
Jordan Shaw had to win a semifinal the previous Monday, beating Marine Callum Shaw. In the final he outpointed Taylor Andrews, landing his shots as the RAF boxer pursued him.
Brad Axe won for the RAF, taking a points verdict over the Army’s Leon Harris, who, at 19, has only just moved up to senior boxing.
Emyr Parry defeated another Army boxer, Josh Plummer, to chalk up a victory for the RAF too.
Jack Hindmarch, a Development semi-finalist, moves into the Elites. The soldier took control of his first two rounds with Kyle De Banks. The Navy boxer threw everything he had left at Hindmarch in the last, but could not turn the tables.
Both the Army and the RAF won three bouts each on the night, with the Army winning the Combined Services championships overall.