Knockout show for Swindon boxers (From Swindon Advertiser)

Knockout show for Swindon boxers

6:00am Thursday 1st November 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

SWINDON Amateur Boxing Club’s young boxers put in battling performances at the recent show at the Oasis, despite falling to narrow defeats.

The event organised by Fitzpatrick’s Boxing Gym was attended by David Haye and George Groves, and featured a host of entertaining fights involving boxers from Swindon and beyond.

Jordan Wall, Joe Balfe and Chelsea Gulliver all put in superb displays for the Swindon club, but fell just short on an excited night at the Oasis.

The club’s first representative was 13-year-old Wall, who took on Thomas Wilson from the well respected Mole Valley club.

The fight got off to a hectic start in the first round with Wall making inroads with some good counter punches as well as some sharp solid shots as he edged the opening period.

It was a different story in the second, though, as Wilson clawed his way back into the match as the Swindon boxer lost a protector twice, which sent him off his stride.

Wall held the centre of the ring well in the opening stages of the final round with some clever slipping and good counter punching, but it was not quite enough as Wilson was awarded the decision in a tough bout.

Next in the ring was Balfe, who was making his senior debut against fellow 17-year-old Oliver Clark, also from Mole Valley.

Balfe started the first sharply with some fast jabbing and a number of left hook and right hand combinations, but in the second round Clark got himself back into the fight with some clever counter punching, which forced Balfe to box on the back foot which is where he stayed for the rest of the fight.

The Mole Valley boxer was awarded a comfortable unanimous decision, with Balfe looking a little rusty having been away from the ring for over a year.

The final representative of the evening was Chelsea Gilliver, who took on Cheshunt ABC’s Shellie Oliver in the only womens’ bout of the evening.

Gilliver was giving away 10 inches to the six-foot Oliver, as well as being five years younger, but took her opponent all the way during the three rounds despite suffering with a cold.

The youngster had to box the majority of the fight on the back foot, using clever defensive moves and smart footwork to keep away from her tall opponent, and she showed plenty of guts and determination despite falling to a narrow defeat.