Sandygate boxers host first show of the season (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Sandygate boxers host first show of the season

3:51pm Tuesday 9th October 2012 in Sport

JOE ‘Silent’ Knight could well be about to become a big noise in amateur boxing circles after a top-of-the-bill display in Sandygate ABC’s first show of the season.

The light welterweight from Colne took star billing at the posh black tie affair at the Fence Gate Inn – and he didn’t disappoint.

Up against the durable and dangerous Dan Johnson from Skerton ABC, 19-year-old Knight was too slick and superior in the Howard Rigg-sponsored three-round contest.

Knight’s ring craft was evident from the first bell as he made Johnson miss on every occasion, replying with a solid jab which hit the mark every time.

The second and third rounds showed just why Knight is in top form; moving in and out of range boxing inside and on the back foot and hitting at will – after one such attack, the referee was forced to give Johnson a standing count of eight at the end of the third.

When the Colne fighter’s arm was raised it capped off a wonderful evening of boxing.

But if Knight was the headline act then the supporting cast weren’t too bad either.

First up was the non-verdict bout between Dylan ‘Deadly’ Lord, 10, and Aaron Robertson of St Johns with both boys showing good skills.

Burnley’s Connor ‘Big Con’ Shaw took part in the first competitive fight of the night against Sam Melia of Anfield ABC and the highly-rated 11-year-old showed his dominance straight from the bell.

He unleashed a barrage of shots forcing a standing eight count and returned to finished the job with the referee stopping the contest after one minute 10 seconds of the first round.

Barnoldswick Regan ‘Jock’ Driver, 13, was next to grace the apron against Chris Rawlings of Hope St ABC. Driver dominated the opening round, never took a step back in the second when Rawlings upped his game and ended strongly in the third, culminating with a strong, sharp three-punch straight combo on his way to getting the nod off the judges.

‘Hit-Man’ Will Henson-Smith entered the ring sporting the club’s famous claret and blue kit against Jay Lee from Hope Street ABC.

In what turned out to be a scrappy affair at times – with Lee resorting to pulling and holding – the Blessed Trinity pupil’s class shone through in the end – with Henson-Smith, 14, defending well and countering under pressure in the final round to take the win.

In form Brandon ‘Padiham Power Station’ Hartley, 15, boxing for the third time in three weeks made it a hat-trick as he controlled every round to win his rematch with Morecambe’s John Catlow from Skerton ABC.

Colne middleweight Lloyd ‘Boom Boom’ Baldwin, 23, went toe-to toe with Salford’s Gary Jones much to the delight of the crowd who roared their approval when his arm was raised.

And while their were narrow defeats for Nelson’s Charlie Martin, 15 – who lost to James McGovern for the vacant NW ABA Junior Belt – Reece Jackson, 12, Brett Windle, 14, and Sam Larkin, 22, coach Sam Tucker hailed the night as a huge success.

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