Southampton Boxers Shine at Swansea

On Monday 9th December, Southampton University Amateur Boxing Club travelled to Wales to box Swansea and Cardiff universities  in an “England V Wales” contest at Oceana in Swansea.

This was SUABC’s first event of  the season and they were raring to start the season with a bang, continuing from last year’s successes. First up was Koray Behchet boxing an opponent from Swansea University in a super-middleweight bout on his debut. The first and second round saw Koray landing solid right hand counters and whilst his opponent had a higher work rate, the punches he landed were of little significance. In the third Koray’s opponent kept up his high work rate, pushing him back against the ropes, but Koray was still landing his right hand cleanly and covering up. In the end the Welsh boxer’s work rate and aggressive style got him the win, but it could have easily gone either way and Koray boxed well on his debut.

Next up was Captain Ben Keating in a middleweight bout against a boxer from Swansea. Ben used his footwork and counter punching skills in the first round to box on the back foot against his southpaw opponent, catching him regularly with straights and hooks. In the second round Ben started to push his opponent back whenever he opened up and in the third Ben picked his shots well while moving in and out, boxing strongly and aggressively. Ben took a well earned decision due to his clean counter-punching and aggressiveness.

Next up was club President Chris Oldfield against a boxer from Ventnor ABC. After his Welsh opponent failed to turn up, Chris was matched at the last minute against an opponent with a weight and experience advantage. Chris got off to a slow start, picking his shots and covering up against his opponents numerous combinations. Chris picked up the work rate in the second and third and began to push his heavier opponent back against the ropes, letting his punches go more frequently, landing solid right hands. The bout was an “exhibition” due to the weight difference but Chris boxed well and would have gotten the nod had it been judged.

The final fight saw Vice-Captain Max Jenkins take on a boxer from Swansea in another middleweight bout. In the first round Max’s opponent came out throwing non-stop, but Jenkins used his head movement to duck and weave, whilst counter punching with solid right hands that wobbled his opponent twice, making him more cautious. Jenkins continued to box off the back foot and wobble his opponent with more fast, strong counter punches in the second. Both fighters were feeling the pace in the third, but a right-left-right from Max gave his opponent a standing eight count and sealed Max a hard fought win.

With an official result of two out of three wins, SUABC started their season with a boom. It was a good warm up for BUCS at the start of February, where they aim to keep the wins flowing.

Report courtesy of Christopher Oldfield.