Moray boxing stalwart Donald Campbell who officiated Wladimir Klitschko fight leads Elgin Amateur Boxing Club support for Ukraine appeal
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IT wasn’t just the horror of watching the invasion of Ukraine on TV that prompted Elgin Amateur Boxing Club to offer some kind of support.
This week, the Moray club assembled around 30 bags of items to be sent out to the Eastern European country as part of the humanitarian effort to help their stricken people.
For there is also a sporting connection between Elgin ABC and Ukraine which was forged in a boxing ring in Budapest 45 years ago by the club’s co-founder Donald Campbell.
In an incredible sporting career spanning almost 65 years, Campbell has refereed in bouts involving some of boxing’s greats, including Ukrainian giant Wladimir Klitschko who is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time.
His brother Vitali was also a world champion fighter who later turned to politics and became mayor of Kyiv, and the brothers have been rallying support for their country throughout the conflict with Russia.
Hearing about Wladimir’s appeals for world support sparked memories for Campbell, who remembers refereeing one of his bouts at the world amateur championships in Hungary in 1997.
“He actually lost the fight, there’s a picture of me raising the arm of the other boxer,” he recalled.
“That’s my connection with Ukraine, and I’ve put up a thing in the club saying to support the Ukraine boxing family.
“I started a collection of items and we’ve managed to get something like 30 bags. It’s more for the boxing people in Ukraine that it will go to.”
Campbell enlisted the help of some of Elgin ABC’s junior boxers to gather the essential items, which will go to Ukraine through one of the town’s Polish communities.
The club has produced a string of national and district champions at a varying range of ages and weights.
Next month sees Elgin ABC host their latest boxing show at Bishopmill Hall on June 12, where they will showcase the talents of some of their up-and-coming male and female fighters in the competitive ring.
The club also offers a wide range of boxing and fitness sessions every week night at their Brodie Place gym
