LEIGH Boxing Club started the new season with a sold-out home show at Lowton Civic Hall.
The Leigh boxers turned in some stunning displays, with top-of-the-bill welterweight Josh Taylor taking a deserved points win against national champion Malakai Dixon from Moss Side.
After an enthralling bout of skill and power, the Leigh 17-year-old collected the Collins & Darwell Senior Boxer of the Night Award.
Also among the highlights, 15-year-old Callum Ryder continued his rise among the top junior bantamweights in the country by stopping the experienced Tom Rowen from Moss Side in the first round.
Ryder was awarded the Tommy Sargeants Boxer of the Night Award.
Eleven-year-old Haaris Brown scored a unanimous victory over Reece Britnell from Merseyside-based Lee Jones ABC.
Haaris also collected the Simpson Heald Pearson Junior Boxer of the Night Trophy.
Will Hewitt, 14, was also in top form as he out-boxed the more experienced Kai Morley from Burnley based Clayton ABC, taking a unanimous points win and the BAAS Construction Secretarys Shield.
Eleven-year-old Thomas Smith boxed excellently to outpoint Elliot Byatt of Lee Jones ABC, with Smith also taking the Lamotta Team Leigh Boxer of the Night Award.
Debutant super heavyweight 23-year-old Liam Ratcliffe lost narrowly on points to Barrow’s Andy Rawlinson, while 19-year-old Kyle Simm gave everything he had against a much taller awkward opponent in Jamie Bramhall of Seacombe & Allandale ABC but lost a points decision.
Liam Ratcliffe
Kyle Simm
Leigh 13-year-old Wez Holding continually drove Partington’s classy Declan Dee backwards and scored with hurtful shots to body and head to take a unanimous points win.
Light heavyweight Tony Boardman got back to winning ways with a good performance, out-boxing his bigger opponent Ali Morten from Cumbria’s Border City and taking a points win.
Debutant middleweight Pete Standish dug deep but was beaten by Danny Clough of Anfield.
Eleven-year-old Naz Brown narrowly lost out to Caine Alexander of Anfield, while 15-year-old light welterweight Matty Coffey was involved in another good bout before losing out to Logan Willans of Chadderton.
Naz Brown
Matty Coffey
Three Leigh schoolboys, John Lee Varey, Lewis Smith and Reece Dawber, made their debuts in skills bouts opposite Bradley Dee (Partington), Jack McDonagh (Ardwick) and Mason Johnson (Pool of Life), and all turned in promising performances.
Fourteen-year-old Paddy Hewitt faced Adam Valli Carter of Chorley based Jennings Gym and in a very close bout was unlucky to lose on points.
Full home debuts were made by 11-year-old Billy Hervey and 15-year-old Harvey Ashcroft, and while both worked hard and boxed well they lost out in close bouts with Assim Eskilani (Chorlton St Johns) and Anthony Wright (Lee Jones) respectively.
Training takes place at Leigh Boxing & Fitness Gym and Leigh Boxing Academy at Wigan Youth Zone on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6pm to 7.30pm.
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