By James Bovington
Sixteen fighters from Bramley Villagers Boxing and Fitness Club enjoyed demonstrating their skills at the first home show of the year.
They welcomed opponents from across Leeds and further afield, with some coming from a club in Cumbria.
Lewis Pearce, 15, from Bramley, started boxing training late last year and had his second skills bout on the show.
“Skills means I don’t have to worry about winning or losing,” he said. “I can just concentrate on what we’ve practised in the gym. I put my opponent Archie Whiteside through his paces.
“I’ll now be working on improving footwork and developing punching power. I love boxing. I’d tried football but boxing is the better fit. I’m looking forward to a scored decision bout when our coach decides I’m ready.”
Haaris Akbar, 17, has been boxing for several years. He said: “I’d really trained hard for this fight not missing any sessions and it paid off with a first-round stoppage. Can’t get much better than that.
“I’m now looking to follow the England Boxing amateur route and hopefully secure a professional boxing contract. As my dad says it’s onwards and upwards with more challenging fights. My progress is due to the quality training we get here at Villagers.”
Brothers Zack and Robbie Wood both won their fights. For Zack this could be the last bout at home for some time as he plans to emigrate to Australia shortly. Robbie plans to join the Army.
“I’m excited to have won both my decision bouts,” said Robbie, “and I want to be boxing as often as I can and then in the Army.”
Mark Judge, like Robbie aged 17, was proud to win the Bramley Villagers Junior title beating Titan’s James Clarke over four two-minute rounds.
“The best I’ve yet boxed,” said Judge. “And winning the promotion’s title. Like my teammates it’s now hopefully on to greater things.”
Some boxers come to the sport as adults and this is the case for Wortley’s Ryan Taylor, 33, who has been boxing on local shows for a couple of years.
“My opponent this time at 65kg was Michael Fortune who proved tough and took me the distance.,” Taylor said. “I came to this bout having won the Haynes Promotions novice championship last September. I’ve got a couple more fights lined up and if I win, I’m hopeful of getting on bigger, regional shows.”
Kalem Pickles turns 20 in the autumn and is a veteran of the Bramley shows. “I knocked my opponent Jordan Brewer down and got a second-round stoppage.
“I’m proud of my performance as he was quite the brawler.
“But it’s all experience. I’m just waiting for confirmation of a few more fights. Like Haaris I am hoping to follow the formal amateur route and build up a fanbase with the aim of getting a professional contract soon.”
Coach Richard Manning, better known as DeeJay ‘Titch’ said: “As always organising this show took a lot of work matching fighters and allowing for the inevitable pullouts owing to training injuries.
“There’s lots of talent in west Leeds with many young boxers keen to do as well in the sport as Bramley’s Billy Pickles who won the Commonwealth super lightweight silver title belt at the O2 in Greenwich last month.”
Manning is “grateful to the twelve local companies whose consistent support makes these events viable and who deserve thanks for their commitment to what is a major community venture”.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Pickles and Akbar as they plan a professional career should contact them @haaris_akbar or @kalem. pickles on Instagram.
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