Amateur Boxing
NEW AMATEUR BOXING CLUB - SPANIORUM FARM GYM
Downend Amateur Boxing Club made history at their boxing show at Yate Leisure Centre on Saturday April 18th, when two boxers, Boston James and Danny Torr, were the first boxers to compete as amateurs representing Spaniorum Farm Gym. The farm gym was created in 1979 when Tex Woodward, an ex-RAF P.T.Instructor, International boxing coach and professional boxer, converted an old chicken shed on his farm into a gym, from which he hoped to run an amateur boxing club for the local village lads, as well as training and managing professional boxers. Jeff Woodward, Tex’s nephew and ex-Western Counties A.B.A. middleweight champion, sadly now deceased, intended to train the amateurs. Great plans but no approval from the A.B.A. despite letters to the Hon. Sec. nationally and locally, national papers, the Minister of Sport, T.V., and Boxing News on several occasions. All to no avail!. The apparent reason, Tex Woodward held a B.B.B. of C. licence. Now, 30 years later, after periodic negotiations with A.B.A. of E. officials, Spaniorum Farm Gym has at last been accepted, to run an amateur club “Spanny Ammy’s A.B.C.”, by the A.B.A. of England Trained by amateur coach Mike James, the new club successfully dipped it’s toes into the water with it’s two boxers competing at the Yate Leisure Centre show, both getting wins, Boston James successfully outworking Jake Giddings from Weston-Super-Mare A.B.C. to gain a points win and Danny Torr exploding into action with a non-stop barrage of punches causing the referee to stop the bout in less than half a minute in the Farm boxers favour., against Paul Shapland, Taunton A.B.C. GYM: 01454 632448 | |
 |