Blue is the Colour – Alderney rule
SIX months after his Commonwealth Games let down Billy Le Poullain triumphantly returned to the ring.
On a wonderful weekend for Alderney sport - their footballers winning twice in less than 24 hours to go second in the FNB Priaulx League table - the boxing star gained a comfortable unanimous win over seasoned Bobby Dalton to clinch an 8-7 win for the home squad against the Northern Counties Select at a busy and raucous Beau Sejour on Saturday night.
In the first of what he hopes to be as many as a dozen-plus bouts this winter season, Le Poullain, 23, said he felt relieved to be back in the ring and winning after the disappointment of losing to Pakistani Gul Zaib in Gold Coast in April.
‘It was good to pick up a comfortable win over someone who has boxed at elite level for a long time,’ said Le Poullain.
‘It was nice to get back in and shake off the rust,’ he added.
Le Poullain dominated from the start of the bill-topping bout.
‘I didn’t want to make the same mistakes as in Australia.
‘Hopefully, I will get some more bouts before Christmas, possibly four, and hopefully up to 15 by the end of the season. I want it to be a busy season.’
The previous evening Le Poullain had been a spectator as his fellow Ridunians smashed Vale Rec 4-1 to maintain their strong Priaulx League title challenge which was enhanced by another win, this time 2-1, at Sylvans the following afternoon.
‘I speak to the Alderney lads regularly and the morale in the team is really good. They are all bringing on each other,’ said the boxer.
More in Monday's Guernsey Press.
