Teen boxes clever to add to trophy haul
Lang fighter picks up youth championship title
A Cambuslang boxing star added yet another trophy to his already bulging collection at the Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport last weekend.
Nicholas Devlin won the Western District 56kg Youth Championship title with an impressive performance in front of a packed crowd.
The 17-year-old, who is coached at O’Neil’s ABC in Cambuslang, dominated the bout from the start with his clever footwork and combinations.
The Scotland international and multiple champion across schoolboy, junior and youth categories used all of his experience to outclass his opponent.
With deadly accurate punches landing consistently, his opponent was seemingly devoid of any ideas of how to curb Nicholas’s onslaught. His corner decided enough was enough and retired their fighter before the start of the third round.
Nicholas, a sixth year pupil at Cathkin High, said: “I am so chuffed to win this title. I have been training so hard for this. My coaches have pushed me harder than ever and all of the hard work has paid off. I can’t thank them enough.
“My family have been 100 per cent behind me too and this is my early Christmas present to them!”
Coach Brian Murphy added: “Nicky is a very clever boxer with loads of experience and it showed.
“His opponent couldn’t live with him in there and he totally dominated the bout.”
He added: “Nicky has been with us since he was seven years old. He is a role model and an inspiration for our younger boxers.”
Nicholas is going through Boxing Scotland’s coaching courses and Brian believes that a lot of the success they have had with their youngsters recently is down to his advice during their training sessions.
“He is leading by example in the ring and in training,” he said. “His experience, coupled with the Boxing Scotland training, is being channelled into our own training regime at the club and is helping us to develop our current crop of talented youngsters to an even higher level.”
Nicky is a very clever boxer with loads of experience and it showed. His opponent couldn’t live with him in there and he totally dominated the bout ... Brian Murphy