Malmesbury boxers punch into 2006 (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Malmesbury boxers punch into 2006

THE New Year could not have started better for Malmesbury Boxing Club as they travelled 450 miles to secure matches for two of their top boxers.

At Gloucester, Luke Stevens showed all of his class in scoring a shut-out points victory over Cleeve's Todd Roberts and, in doing so, earning a trophy for 'Best Boxer of the Night'.

Roberts came out fast at the first bell but was met with fast, hard and accurate jabs as Stevens used slick footwork to stay away from trouble.

Fast combinations then began to rock the Cleeve boxer as Stevens began to grow in confidence and Roberts was glad to hear the bell at the end of the round.

The only setback for Stevens came in the second when Roberts threw a desperate right hand, which somehow found the target and dumped the Malmesbury boy in the corner and he had to suffer the embarrassment of a standing count.

Stevens came straight back and immediately returned the compliment by planting a straight right cross on Roberts' chin, which put him down in a neutral corner.

The final round saw Stevens really going to work but the brave Roberts lasted out the session, despite both eyes being badly swollen and blood streaming from his nose.

The next night, the club travelled to Devonport where Sam Jenner honoured a promise of a return bout with the host club's National Schoolboy champion, Matthew Bradbury, whom he had out-pointed on the Malmesbury show in December. This was a tall order for Jenner.

Not only was he taking on Bradbury on his own patch in front of a huge following of home supporters, but the match was to be over three rounds of one and a half minutes instead of the two-minute rounds more suited to the Malmesbury boy.

In the event, Jenner forsook his usual slow start and took the fight to Bradbury at the outset.

Steady pressure behind the jab set up chances for his sharp combination punches and saw Jenner just edging a highly competitive first round.

Bradbury began the second strongly and looked to impose himself but a thumping right hand to the body slowed him visibly.

It was Jenner in the ascendancy now and a perfect right hand made Bradbury touch down and receive a count from the referee.

The Malmesbury boxer stepped up the pressure in the final round and did not allow Bradbury a moment's rest as his two-fisted attacks earned him the decision from all the judges.