Raw enthusiasm for Swindon boxers (From Swindon Advertiser)

Raw enthusiasm for Swindon boxers

10:00am Thursday 25th February 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

SWINDON RAW white collar boxers are putting the finishing touches to their preparations at the Horseshoe Gym ahead of the showdown with their Trowbridge counterparts at the Premier Club on Saturday.

The home fighters are bidding for a hat-trick of wins over their Wiltshire rivals, having emerged victorious in two previous encounters.

In a bid to ensure complacency does not set in, in the camp, training guru Stuart Harfield has imposed a tough regime that ensures every man arrives in the ring in peak condition.

The former Royal Marine said: “The ring is a place where you cannot hide and it will see any weakness immediately exposed.

“All these lads have that reinforced into their mentality when they come training and know what is expected of them.

“The emphasis for those who have boxed before is to increase the level of performance even further every time they step into the ring.

“White collar boxing is growing in popularity all the time and with more lads getting involved it raises the standard.”

Fifteen bouts are scheduled for the match against Trowbridge but it will be two local fighters - Jack Baker and Martin Wesley - topping the bill.

Baker, 24, has shed the pounds since his debut last year for this middleweight clash, losing almost two stones in the process.

He said: “I’m feeling fitter than I have done for a long time. Boxing has benefited me in more ways than I could have imagined.”

Wesley, 21, will take to the ring for his third outing, having already won two from two, and is keen to keep his unbeaten record.

He added: “Naturally, I want to get a victory but the night is all about making the charity being supported the winner.”

The event’s beneficiary is the Open Door Centre, which helps enable adults with both physical and mental learning difficulties and is based at St Barnabas Church Hall in Gorse Hill.

Doors open at the Premier Club in Stratton at 6pm with a series of exhibition bouts involving under 15s before the main event gets under way at 6.30pm.

Admission is £20 for adults and accompanied under 14s are free (maximum two per paying adult).