Boxing Scotland National Novice Championships involve ten Elgin Amateur Boxing Club prospects going for glory at the Ravenscraig sports centre in Motherwell
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TEN Elgin Amateur Boxing Club fighters will go for glory at the Scottish Novice Championships at the Ravenscraig national sports centre in Motherwell.
The recent return to competitive fighting has led to this year’s national novice event being the biggest ever held.
A huge entry of 790 boxers has been received, meaning that the competition will have to be held over two consecutive weekends i what promising to be a busy month for the sport.
Starting today and running over Saturday and Sunday, the preliminary rounds of all weight categories are being staged.
Into next weekend, the semi-finals and finals are held over the Saturday and Sunday to determine who the best amateur fighters in the country are.
The Elgin club has produced countless Scottish champions in the past and ten more are bidding for glory in Motherwell.
Tyler Sked is the youngest, taking part in the 46kg schools section.
Two female boxers will take to the ring for Elgin with Josie Walls competing at 50kg senior and Faith Ross at 63kg youth level.
Fighting in the junior section will be Zander Fleming at 60kg and Liam Shiels at 63kg.
Also taking part in a youth bout is Jacob Billingell at 63.5kg.
Bidding for senior championship glory are Andrew Forsyth at 63.5kg, David Grigor at 71kg, Kyle Stewart at 86kg and Craig Mone at 92kg.
Head coach at the Elgin club is Paul ‘Ratch’ Gordon, who last year won an Unsung Hero for Scotland award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
Gordon has helped bring many Moray boxers into the competitive ring over the years and hopes the latest crop can rise to the occasion in the Central Belt.
“All of the boxers who have been entered into the competition for the club have spent month and even years in training,” he said.
Gordon singled out female member Josie Walls and the youngest novice Tyler Sked for recognition.
“It’s a noteworthy mention for Josie who was originally put into the 52kg category but while on holiday found there was no one in her group, so she started to make the cut then to get down to the next weight.
“Also Tyler who lost his first-ever bout, stuck at it and since then has won his past three.”
