Hughes boxes to a fine victory in London (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Hughes boxes to a fine victory in London

MALMESBURY ABC's Joe Hughes oozed coolness and confidence as he dismissed the challenge of Eltham's highly-rated Charlie Fox in the National Golden Gloves quarter-finals at Crystal Palace, South London, on Saturday.

Hughes began patiently and easily evaded the Londoner's jab with classy head movement and smooth footwork before crashing in his double jab.

The Malmesbury boy began to pick his punches accurately in the second, landing precision hooks to body and head.

Changing up a gear in the final session, Hughes showed his supremacy and his place in the semi-finals was assured.

These take place in Strood, Kent on Saturday, March 12, where Hughes will meet Golden Ring's Mitchell Whitehead, who had already lost to the Malmesbury starlet this season.

But Sam Jenner looked very unlucky not to get the nod over Marvels Lane's Michael Doherty after a hard-fought encounter. Many body shots found the target but, apparently, failed to register on the computer scoring system.

Jenner's punch variety was impressive, but he had to work hard to match Doherty's aggression and there was some surprise when the decision went to the London fighter.

Andy Ware came up against a human windmill and got trapped in a corner under a hail of blows before the referee called a halt mid-way through the opening round of his bout with Bexley's J Hughes.

Clint Stevens failed to make his present felt against Michael Corcoran (Dale Youth), who posed no real threat to the Malmesbury lad.

Too often Stevens' work was negative, and most of his punches were delivered with the inside of the glove and so failed to score.

In the last round, Stevens was visibly tiring and it is doubtful whether he had the commitment to carve out a future in this sport.

Worst decision of the evening, from Malmesbury's point of view, was handed out in the contest between Luke Stevens and Ashley Lander of Danson Youth.

The Malmesbury boxer outclassed the London boy for three rounds, only to see the decision awarded the wrong way to the astonishment of many fans.