Brilliant night of boxing in Bideford

Bideford ABC hosted an entertaining night of boxing to a sellout crowd at Bideford Pannier Market and Dylan Burston avenged a loss in style against this year’s national finalist David Sheehy from Golden Ring.

Burston went straight to work with combinations to dominate the opening round. In round two, both boxers stood in the centre of the ring going toe to toe in a tight round.

Burston showed his levels in the last though, going up a gear and switching between orthodox and southpaw stance to pick clean shots and take the unanimous win.

Top of the bill saw Alex Dovell defending his Western Counties light heavyweight title against Ryan Gaffney from Mayflower ABC. Gaffney proved elusive, making Dovell’s left hook miss and scored counter punches.

Gaffney built on his early lead in the second, showing good footwork and choosing not to engage. Dovell needed a big last and delivered, landing some crunching body shots, unfortunately it was too late, as the split decision went to Gaffney. 

Joe Golding, also in the light heavyweight division, boxed Jack Bays from Lympstone ABC. Golding’s strong jab controlled the pace throughout. In the second, big right hands started coming behind it, wobbling Bays on several occasions. Both boxers put it on the line in the last, both on the receiving end of big hooks. Golding’s dominance earned him the unanimous win.

Jed Avery and Brad Newberry from Port Talbot had a much-anticipated rematch. Avery started positively dominated, showed great punch variation and clean punches. Avery was unable to sustain the pace, as Newberry boxed and moved, picking his shots on the way to a unanimous victory.

Spencer Seville picked up his first win against Ronnie Lewis from Port Talbot. Seville had a superior reach advantage and used it well to dominate all three rounds and get the unanimous win.

Tucker Mills will feel hard done by not to get the victory in his rematch with Alexander Jones from Port Talbot. Mills pushed forward in all three rounds, landing combinations to the head and body, losing out on a split decision, much to the surprise of the home crowd. 

Richie Clarke from Torrington and Cayden Jones from Port Talbot had a good contest with a contrast of styles. Clarke let the numbers go, as Jones proved more conservative waiting for big shots. Clarke’s higher work rate earned him the unanimous win.

Marley Barnes came up against a talented opponent from Golden Ring, Arthur Coffin. Coffin started strong with big hooks but in the next couple of rounds, Barnes settled down, showing good boxing, scoring with straight shots. There was little to pick between two top prospects at the bell with the split points win going to Coffin. 

Bideford girls Ebony Webber and Chloe Murphy both faced their first southpaw opponents from Mayflower ABC. Webber boxed against Raphael Ahmed, losing unanimously, Webber scored straight rights but was outworked throughout. Murphy got better as her contest went on, winning the last round big on the front foot, but the slow start cost her a split decision loss.

Will Percival demonstrated power in both hands against Harvey Roberts from Mayflower ABC. Percival worked behind a fast jab and banged in clean hard punches when the opportunities came. A right cross in the second forced a standing count, another one followed in the last round from a big left hook. Roberts did well to see the final bell with Percival gaining the unanimous win.

Riley Chappel got caught out trying to load up the power shots too much against Max Barnes from Lympstone. Chappel started well, having success with his overhand right. But as the fight went on, Barnes boxed clever, staying out of the way by using long range punches to get the unanimous points win.

Rhyder Willoughby started the evening off in a skills contest against Sol Side from Lympstone ABC. Willoughby showed fast hands and feet to dominate three rounds.