Champion by name - and nature: Chichester boxer a hit on club debut

Chichester's St Gerards Boxing Club fielded light-heavyweight Ryan Champion in the Hastings West Hill Boxing Club open show.
Ryan Champion of St GerardsRyan Champion of St Gerards
Ryan Champion of St Gerards

He was facing home boxer Jack Froud and with both boxers in their late 20s and with similar experience, a good contest was anticipated.

Both are senior elite boxers at novice level and Champion quickly found his range behind a long jab and with some cracking right hand counters.

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Froud was chasing him down constantly but Champion’s fancy footwork kept him at bay and the Chichester man clearly won the first round.

Coach Gerry Lavelle said: “Ryan was advised to do much the same and keep to the fight plan, working behind the long jab with clear counters and left hooks and he did just that, catching Jack with a powerful right hand and secondary left hook, leaving the referee,with no option but to give Jack a standing count.

“The bell went shortly after the contest resumed and both boxers returned to their respective corners. Ryan had clearly won this round as well, with the standing count administered as an extra bonus.”

Champion was advised to remain calm as Froud would come gunning for him in the third trying to make up the deficit.

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Lavelle said: “Jack did just that, with Ryan upping his ante and his free-flowing footwork negated Jack’s onslaught, allowing Ryan to catch him with another bumper of a rear right-hand and a lancing left hook, causing Jack to physically stumble on his feet.

“The referee, seeing his frailty, jumped in with another standing count, at the end of which he ended the contest with a very good win for Ryan the Champion, registering his first win for his new club.

“Ryan hasn’t been with us long but we have worked quickly with him on different aspects of his boxing and they clearly paid off.

“Ryan is a great listener and learner and has so much passion for the game – he will move forward if he sticks to this mindset and he has the full support of his wife Charlie and daughter Myah.

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“He came to us a few months ago from the the Fighting Fit club in Chichester where he was trained by Jimmy, Josh and Steve, so they have to be thanked for all their input.

“We look forward to our next rumble.”

St Gerards are still on the lookout for any potential sponsors, big or small, to allow the club to continue their work addressing anti-social behaviour within the community.

Contact Gerry Lavelle at the Swanfield Community Centre-based club or online at www.sussexboxing.com/clubs/st-gerards if you can help.