FIGHT NIGHT A SUCCESS

The National Amateur Boxing Finals, which took place in Bolton on Saturday 20th March, were hailed as a "massive success" by LACYP Director Alan Donkin.

"What a great night all round. We've had a fantastic night of boxing with some of the best young fighters from around the country coming here to Bolton and putting on a great show."

When asked how much effort goes into staging an event of this magnitude, Alan added: "A lot, we have a fantstic team of vounteers that make this thing possible and without them we couldn't have done it.

"There's a lot of things that go on behind the scenes, you know, it's a bit like a restaurant; there's a lot of things that go on before the meal comes to the table, but everything has gone really well on the night."

On the night around £8,000 was raised for the LACYP, as Alan explained: "What we wanted to do was make a very special occasion for all the young boxers and to raise some cash for the organisation in the process.

Young fighters in the ring at the Reebok Stadium

"We raised a little under eight grand in the end which means after all costs we're about three and a half thousand better off, which isn't a huge amount but it's a nice amount, so yeah, it was a good night."

As you walked around the boxers' area upstairs from the ring, you could sense a nervous atmosphere amongst all the kids, who were eagerly awaiting their names to be called out for the ring walk before their respective bouts.

All the fighters were amongst each other, working on pads with their trainers, with family and friends nervously watching from the boxing arena, or bar, as was the case with many of the parents.

Fighter Barney Thornhurst, fifteen, from Kent said: "I can't wait to get in there now to be honest with you. It's been a long road here fighting through the counties and the southern area so I'll make sure I take this chance with both hands and beat this kid up."

Barney Thornhurst was full of confidence

Barney's bravado was to set a familiar theme throughout pre fight interviews with these youngsters, but for all his confidence his demeanor and body language was, like every other competitor, that of a very nervous kid who was fighting on the biggest stage of his life.

Liam, who Barney was fighting had something similar to say: "I don't know anything about this kid apart from that he's orthodox and he's gonna get beat."

As with most of the lads I spoke to, Barney and Liam didn't have much to say, partly I suspect because they were nervous, and partly because they were kids.

Coach Mick Gerrity, who was trainig a lad from Stevenage added: "This is when all the hard work pays off, or should pay off actually. This is what it's all about at the end of the day" (Link to audio - Mick, interview three)

Mick Gerrity with a young charge

Barney went on to win his clash against Liam, who I saw after the fight in streams of tears and being consoled by a man you can only presume was his father or coach. In truth, Barney was impressive in the ring, as was another young man called Ryan Tibbles; maybe two names to watch out for in several years time, if they can make it up the long and arduous mountain of professional boxing.

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BOXING EVENT PREVIEW

On Saturday 20th March the LACYP are staging the National Amateur Boxing Finals at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton.

This is one of the most prestigious competitions on the amateur boxing calender and will feature some of the best young fighters from all over the UK.

The LACYP will host the event in partnership with Bolton Wanderers Football Club and world champion boxer Amir Khan, who is from Bolton.

The event is a one-off opportunity for the LACYP, as the finals can be staged anywhere in the country and just once a year, so the organisation jumped at the chance of raising some cash for youngsters in the area.

Alan Donkin said of the event: "We envisage a fantastic night of boxing this weekend. Kids will come up to Bolton from as far afield as Kent to take part in this; it's a big event.

"As well as being a career defining moment for some of these lads, we expect to raise something in the region of seven or eight thousand pounds through ticket sales and refreshments for our organisation, which will be a fantastic boost towards what we're trying to achieve here in Lancashire."

Fighters will range from the age of 11 - 17 and compete in weight categories over three two minute rounds with each eventual winner collecting a trophy immediately after their bout.

The Finals are seen as a breeding ground for boxers who want to make it as a professional and will be watched by talent scouts from across the country looking for the next Ricky Hatton or Amir Khan.