Contender James dons his thermals

THE tickets for Saturday's Boxing Open Show sold out in a record 15 minutes.

Last year's supply all went within 29min., but that mark was smashed when more than 800 seats for this year's big event went on sale at Beau Sejour at 7.45am on Saturday. By 8am they were all gone.

The show's atmosphere is always electric in the Sir John Loveridge Hall, but there is an extra edge this year as it will see Guernsey boxers meet Jersey lads in the ring for CI championship belts for the first time in 50 years.

'I'm amazed,' said Guernsey's head coach Graham Guilbert about the response.

'Loads of people are enjoying their sport at the moment. We're having two open shows a year and we're packed out. There's a good following in local boxing.'

People were queuing up outside Beau Sejour for tickets from 10pm on Friday .

When Guilbert arrived at 6am to get his, he said there were 20 to 30 people in the queue.