Blues Boxers Build Up To Varsity

In the lead-up to next Tuesday’s 103rd Varsity Boxing Match, The Tab takes you on a tour of CUABC to meet the stars of the Cambridge Boxing scene.

Hopes are high that the team can retain the Truelove Bowl, particularly after a strong showing in last month’s annual Town vs. Gown clash.

Captain Chris Webb told The Tab that he was confident that “the return of several boxers from previous years and a handful of talented newcomers” would be enough to beat the Dark Blues and continue on from the Light Blues’ 9-0 thrashing of Oxford in March 2009.

Without any further ado, The Tab is proud to introduce Cambridge’s line-up:

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Faisal Nasim: Featherweight (57kg)

 

Faisal is a third-year undergrad at Jesus College. Having come first in the year in Prelims, he subsequently decided to take up boxing. His academic performance then swiftly declined. He speaks five languages, enjoys travelling and forms one half of the deadly liquid funk DJ duo ‘Timone and Pumba’.

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Jason Blick: Lightweight (60kg)

Jason is a second-year History student at Corpus Christi. An expert in several martial arts, he also enjoys something of a family rivalry with Oxford – his brother boxed for the Dark Blues last year.

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Brett Shanley: Light-Welterweight (63.5kg)

Brett is the latest product of the Land Economy Sports Academy. The decision to take up boxing was, in part, motivated by his growing reputation as ‘the most hated man in Cambridge’. The 2’4” fitness fanatic is looking to enhance that reputation before a wider audience by joining the banking profession upon graduation.

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Fergal McCool: Welterweight (67kg)

Fergal is a 4th year Engineer at Tit Hall. He has competed at Rowing, Running and Rugby while at Cambridge and decided to give Boxing another go this year after competing in 2007. Fergal has a special place in his heart for Jaffa Cakes.

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Chris Webb: Light-Middleweight (71kg)

Chris Webb, this year’s CUABC captain, is a former international kickboxer and a national-standard marksman. Now in his 4th year studying Vet Med at Queens’, Chris is regularly to be found on the farm – it is lambing season after all. Chris won the ‘Boxer of the Night’ award in 2009’s Town vs Gown contest, as well as his bout in VM102.

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Ed Chadwick: Middleweight – A (75kg)

Ed Chadwick, this year’s CUABC vice-captain, is an accomplished all-round athlete – playing first-team college Rugby and Football, as well as throwing javelin for Cambridge.

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Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka: Middleweight – B (75kg)

Queens’ graduate Ssegawa-Ssekintu is currently studying for a PhD in Laser Analytics (not laser discos). SSK was an undergrad at Jesus and spent a year abroad at MIT studying Chem Eng (with a Spring Break in Puerto Rico). This is the sometime DJ and operatic poster-boy’s first year in the ring; he hopes to emulate his childhood hero ‘Afro Thunder’ from the N64 game Ready 2 Rumble.

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Tom Burlton: Light-Heavyweight (81kg)

Tom, the team’s youngest member, is a first year Land Ec at Catz. He spent 6 months in Brazil, working for a charity and dodging gunfights and gangsters on a daily basis. A quick learner in the Dark Arts, he helped to get Catz’ Rugby team closed down in his first term after some light partying, before finding a home at CUABC.

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Bart Dear: Heavyweight (91kg)

Bart is a 21 year-old Texan, on exchange from the University of Notre Dame. Bart grew up playing American Football and is looking forward to shutting up a loud and hostile crowd with his right hand.

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Follow The Tab’s exclusive coverage of the 103rd Boxing Varsity Match next week.