KINGFISHER ABC’s first show of the new season took place at the Ocean Rooms, Gorleston in front of a large crowd of supporters who fully played their part in making the night a great success.

In the first bout of the night, Josh Mace of Kingfisher met Dereece Crawley of SMAK over three one-and-a-half minute rounds. Both boxers started off at a furious pace with the Kingfisher boxer holding his hands high and throwing straight punches as Crawley came forward with left and right combinations.

Mace got the better of these exchanges and he stood his ground and scored as Crawley moved in. In the second round the referee stepped in and stopped the contest in favour of the Kingfisher boxer.

Next in the ring for the home club came Billy Potter who met Tyler Barber of Norwich Diamonds in a three one-and-a-half minute round contest.

The first round started well for Potter as he repeatedly landed a right hand to the head of the Norwich boxer, moving in behind his left jab. Although Barber was the busier boxer Potter moved and counter boxed well throughout the round.

After an initial attack at the start of the second by Barber, Potter launched some good counter attacks. The third round began with a concerted attack by the Norwich boxer. Just before the bell Potter again caught Barber with a good right hand that forced the referee to get Barber’s corner to clean the blood from his nose. Unfortunately for the young Kingfisher boxer and despite a good display of boxing the judges’ decision sided with Barber for a majority win.

The third bout of the night saw Henri Potter of Kingfisher meet Conner Crosby of March ABC over three two-minute rounds.

From the first bell the taller Potter used the ring well to move away from the shorter Crosby. However several times Crosby closed the ring down and trapped Potter against the ropes throwing a number of solid left and rights. Potter covered up then counter attacked. The step up to two minute rounds started to tell in the final stages with Potter looking increasingly tired but still scoring with a swinging right. Potter held on to get a majority points win.

Curtis Williams of Kingfisher met Harry Gidney of Norwich Lads Club in a schoolboy contest.

Williams, the taller boxer, took the centre of the ring and forced the Norwich boxer on his back foot using his solid jab. In the second round Williams again dominated although he was caught twice by right hands from Gidney. Despite a good display of long range boxing Williams lost the bout on points. The contest was voted bout of the evening.

Liam Goddard of Kingfisher ABC met Josh Oldham of Lowestoft ABC.

Southpaw Goddard started the round at a furious pace. He landed solid right and lefts with no reply as his opponent struggled with a very aggressive start.

Oldham started the second round well pushing Goddard back with five or six good accurate punches. Goddard weathered this well and soon found his range again, landing several straight lefts through the centre of Oldham’s guard and took control of the rest of the round. Oldham tried to assert himself at the start of the third but Goddard matched him punch for punch to clinch a majority win.

In the first senior bout of the night Marcin Kuras of Kingfisher ABC met Tamuka Muchapodwa of Redding ABC.

The first round went well for Kuras as he moved in behind a very powerful left jab. However in the second Muchapodwa upped his game, delivering fast three and four combinations he repeatedly trapped Kuras in the corners where the Kingfisher Boxer covered up and did not reply under a barrage of punches.

Muchapodwa dominated the rest of the bout using a variety of punches. There could be no doubt in the finial decision of the judges with a unanimous win for Muchapodwa.

Martin Smith of Kingfisher ABC in his debut bout met Stephen Walker of Stamford ABC.

Smith moved forward from the start and put pressure on his southpaw opponent. He landed good solid punches that caught Walker who failed to move out of danger. Smith dominated the second always making Walker pay every time they exchanged punches. In the final stages of the third round Smith caught Walker with three solid straight punches to the head making the referee give Walker a standing eight count. A good display of pressure boxing gave Smith a unanimous win on points.

In the first bout after the interval Richard Burton of Kingfisher ABC met Steven Ball in a three two-minute round contest.

Burton looked sharp working behind his left jab and kept Ball at a distance for most of the bout with an occasional right as his opponent tried to close in. Ball only ever caused Burton a problem at the start of the third round. Just before the final bell a perfectly timed right hand caught Ball causing him to slip between the ropes and the referee gave him a standing count. Burton always looked in control and this showed in the judges’ unanimous decision.

The ninth bout of the night saw Todd Davidson of Kingfisher ABC in his debut against A Armstrong of Cambridge Police ABC.

Davidson looked the more aggressive boxer taking the centre of the ring forcing Armstrong to the ropes with powerful left and right combinations. The Kingfisher boxer won the bout on a majority decision.

The penultimate bout had Kingfisher’s Jordon King meeting Rhys Quigley of Chadwell ABC.

In a cagey affair between two evenly matched boxers, Quigley got the judges’ verdict.

Kingfisher’s Hugh Bower and Norwich Diamonds’ Lee Rudd met in the 11th and final bout of the night.

The taller Bower boxing for the first time in Kingfisher colours always tried to keep the shorter stockier Rudd at arm’s length. Throughout the bout Bower scored with some good long range lefts and rights but instead of moving away as Rudd came forward Bower stood his ground and traded punches.

This made for an exciting bout for the spectators but played right into the hands of the Norwich boxer who took full advantage to win a majority decision.

The home club came away with six wins out of 11 bouts and of the five losses four had been close majority decisions.