Jenvey beaten despite rally

9:55am Wednesday 14th May 2008

AN enthusiastic crowd witnessed an entertaining afternoon of amateur boxing staged by the Droitwich Amateur Boxing Club at the Arrow Valley Social Club, Redditch on Sunday.

The top-of-the-bill cruiserweight bout saw Droitwich ABC's Dave Jenvey, aged 23, almost snatch victory with a powerful fourth round rally which had his opponent, Karl Thompson from South Durham, hanging on desperately, but Thompson weathered the storm and took the points decision though many felt Jenvey had done enough.

But the Droitwich club did notch up a significant upset over South Durham, when 12-year-old Josh Turner gave the performance of a lifetime in outpointing schoolboy champion Lee Milburn.

The strength of Droitwich ABC club at junior level was further illustrated by good wins from Harry Butler, 11, and 12-year-olds Stevie Smith, Steve Jones and Brad Piper.

Piper took his unbeaten record to four wins out of four, deservedly outpointing Westley Sykes of Capitol, Coventry, who had previously been unbeaten in four bouts, in a cracking contest which would have graced any tournament.

Mitch Towler (16) and Kaine Palmer (12), also showed promise despite both losing to strong, aggressive opponents.

Both contests followed a similar pattern with the home boxers battling back gamefully and skilfully after losing the first rounds.

Towler lost on a split decision, and Palmer could be well pleased with his performance, despite losing to a more experienced opponent.

Punch of the show came from 15-year-old Ashley Lane who, in only his second bout, stopped Chepstow's Steve Carter with a cracking right-hand cross midway through the second round.

Carter started aggressively swarming forward and trying to pressurise Lane, but Lane kept his head and by the end of the first round his superior boxing skills were in evidence.

This continued in the second with Lane landing uppercuts and sharp combinations before catching the incoming Carter with a fierce overhand right which prompted a standing count and the stoppage.

Unluckiest loser was light middleweight Steve McGrath, 22, who seemed to have done more than enough to outpoint Leamington's Ben Castle, but was adjudged to have lost on a split decision.

Crowd-pleaser McGrath's aggression and power meant that Castle was constantly under pressure and in the closest of contests he must count himself unlucky not to have been awarded the decision.

EDITORS CHOICE