REDDITCH Boxing Academy prospects Leo Fanthome and Richard Bennett did the club proud when they went out of town to box in Chippenham on Saturday night.
Both lads were well prepared and looking forward to the night’s challenges. Bennett came up against a strong and durable opponent from Cheltenham who walked him down for the duration of three rounds.
Bennett worked hard on the back foot, holding his position well against the heavier opponent who scored with a series of blows to the head and body, but Bennett held firm and countered with precise and heavy shots which visibly affected the sturdy Cheltenham boxer.
After three rounds of exciting exchanges and high workrate, both lads were glad to hear the final bell. After giving everything he had, Bennett accepted he was on the wrong side of the decision this time but was happy with the experience and will be ready to box again soon.
Fanthome went in against a boxer from Cornwall and the Redditch ace was in good form, staying nice and relaxed in the changing room as he warmed up on the pads before the bout.
He was focused and ready for the challenge ahead and went into the first round taking his time to work out his opponent before creating the opportunity to deliver a punishing combination to the head and body.
The man from the South West struggled to hold his feet as he received the heavy blows to the head and body, overwhelming him and forcing him to retreat to the corner.
After delivering a flurry of further combinations, Fanthome stepped back to regain focus and then started to deliver again, resulting in his opponent receiving a standing count.
Fanthome got straight back to it as the referee gave the signal to continue and finished the bout by forcing a second standing count which saw the towel thrown in.
Both Redditch boxers did a fantastic job, doing the academy proud and being rewarded for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes in and out of the ring.
“The commitment is incredible from these two athletes,” said academy head coach Darren Long.
“All the early morning runs and dedication to training that goes in to prepare these lads for this level of competition deserves a lot of respect.”
The academy is looking for more young boxers to step up and compete. No experience is required and the coaches are ready to take you all the way to competition. If you would like to get involved, call 07541 133844 or e-mail [email protected].
