Quality line-up takes shape for Chichester's big night of boxing

The Rotary Club of Chichester Priory are staging the event this Saturday (Jan 28) in association with the city’s St Gerards ABC, who will benefit from the profits along with Chichester Boys’ Club.

It will be the first show of its kind in Chichester for close to 15 years.

The venue for the January 28 bash is Westgate Leisure in Chichester and guests will be treated to a host of local talent with ten scheduled bouts – including one female contest involving St Gerards’ Ellis Booth, a senior lightweight.

There are two special contests over three rounds of three minutes - a heavyweight special between James Collins of Norwich Boys ABC and Luke Bateson of Sussex club Moulescombe and a middleweight showdown between Dan Maguire of St Gerards and Frank Sictorness of Norwich. The latter contest will be the finale and should be a cracker.

The show will open with two junior contests featuring Will Atha and Xavier Southerton, both St Gerards ABC lads over three two-minute rounds.

Other scheduled seniors for the host club are Mitchell Coward, who at the age of 17 is one to watch and is getting better with every contest, plus Chris James, Mark Chandler, Pete Outen and Arron Cotton, all home boxers with two making their amateur debuts.

The VK Gym in Bognor, a big supporter of local boxing talent, will present a trophy to the most outstanding home boxer on the night. There will be a replica for the boxer to keep, with their name going an annual trophy.

And one table of ten is being sponsored for armed forces personnel who have been injured in action and are rehabilitating at Hedley Court.

Gerry Lavelle, who runs St Gerards, said: “The show aims to provide the guests with a night of amaeteir boxing to remember, focusing on how the sport changes lives and engages youngsters and young adults in a very positive activity that clearly helps in addressing anti-social behaviour in a big way and promotes the good work our boxers are doing to allow change for the better in our local communities.”

All standing tickets for the event are sold out and there will be no entry on the night.

Rotary’s Ray Richardson of the Rotary Club does have some seated dining tickets left at £50 per head, which includes a four-course meal.

He is on 01243 543701 or at [email protected]