Boxing night 'is bound to be electric'

GUERNSEY'S boxers are gearing up for what could be the best open show ever. There has been a real hype surrounding this year's annual Amalga-mated Boxing Club show at Beau Sejour tomorrow evening as the island takes on the North of England Select.

All 804 tickets for the event sold out within 90 minutes when they went on sale two weeks ago.

'It's going to be electric but it's been electric for the last four or five years,' said the Guernsey coach, Graham Guilbert.

'The coverage in the paper about Jennings has helped us.'

Guilbert believes all the furore surrounding Matt Jennings's bout with Michael Matthewsian at January's dinner boxing show, which was called off under mysterious circumstances just hours before it was due to take place, has helped build up the excitement for tomorrow.

Jennings, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Sunday, is topping the bill when he takes on Neil Smith from Bolton.

But before Jennings takes to the ring, there are 14 other bouts. And in three of them the Guernsey public will see some new local talent on show.

Flyweight Perry Bentley, light flyweight James Ozanne and welterweight Joshua Harvey are the Sarnian debutants.

'What a show to make your debut at,' said Guilbert.

'They are all looking all right but all the boys are looking pretty sharp. They've done a hell of a lot of hard work for this.'

There is a lot of interest in Shane Le Patourel and Callum Pearson's fights as the two are the rising stars of the Guernsey boxing scene.

Welterweight Le Patourel is taking on Christian Flynn from Lancaster while Pearson is meeting Luke Munroe in their light-heavyweight clash.

Ashley Foster and Adam Rose will be fighting in the blue vests of Alderney.

Light heavyweight Rose is undoubtedly Alderney's number one and he has the penultimate bout on the bill when he takes on Chris Healey from Lancaster.

'He's won one or two more bouts than Adam,' said Alderney coach and Rose's father Paul.

'Adam will have to be on his toes and he's a wee bit heavier.'

More than 10 Alderney supporters are coming for that fight and they will no doubt also get loud and supportive when Foster locks horns with Steve Cremner in their welterweight clash.

'He fought Ashley last year and Ashley won on a very close verdict so it's going to be hell for leather,' said Rose.

'He's a southpaw so Ashley has been training to fight a southpaw. He and Adam are looking pretty sharp and mean.'

The North of England coach, Steve Walshaw, named the Rose-Healey fight as one of his bouts to watch out for in the contest.

'A good fight is Chris Healey and Adam Rose, he said.

'That's going to be one hell of a fight. I think that's going to be the best contest of the night.'

Guernsey took the honours when the two teams met at last year's event when they walked away with a nine bouts to seven victory.

'Our team is definitely up for it,' said Walshaw.

'We've got a strong team and we're looking for a win. I know everyone won't win but I think we'll come back victors.

'They whitewashed us last year so we're looking for revenge this year. It's going to be a brilliant show.

'What else can sell out so fast? It's absolutely unbelievable.

'The Rolling Stones never sold tickets that fast and I can't wait to get over.'

The one minor disappointment for tomorrow night is that Manchester boxer Gareth 'The Hurricane' Owens is not making the trip.

The self-styled 'boxing pride of Mosley Common' was a real character at last year's show when he came to the ring in a loud dressing gown baring his moniker on his back and carrying a Bible and a teddy bear.

He stirred up the crowd with some Chris Eubank style theatrics and he also proved that he could box when he stopped Mick Barsby in the second round.

Unfortunately, since then the middleweight has ballooned from 77kg to 95 and, despite working hard in the gym since Christmas, he has been unsuccessful in shifting his excess weight.

Walshaw said it was a shame that he would not be featuring at this year's show but there was a chance he could be coming for the April dinner-boxing event if he gets into shape.

'He was brilliant last year,' said Walshaw.

'He makes everyone laugh. He's a lunatic.'