A busy February for Buxton ABC  boxers as coaching duo pass qualification exams

Kicking things off in the competition ring on the Macclesfield show was schoolboy boxer Fin McGuigan.

Pitched against home town talent, this was a high quality contest between two stars of the future.

Both lads were familiar with one another after sparring and McGuigan put in a terrific shift, pushing a talented boxer on the way to a points loss.

Fin will box again in March and is currently looking to build ring experience as his ability continues to grow.

This promises to be a big year for the ever improving 62kg junior Ennis Kirk-Fletcher, who was unlucky to drop a decision here after seemingly securing the first and second rounds.

Both Buxton and Macc boxers put on a fine display of boxing throughout.

On the same night, Lewis Lingard travelled to Merseyside & Cheshire region to face fancied Wirral opposition.

The Buxton team knew that educated pressure was likely to prove the deciding factor in this contest, and giving the Wirral boxer time and space would help the accomplished home boxer.

Confident with his engine, Lingard consistently pressed his southpaw opponent throughout the first session, gradually growing as he recognised the increased success.

Moving into the second and third, Lingard went through the gears and upped his output with threes and fours mixing up to the head and body and forcing himself on to pressure the Liverpool man. Lingard was awarded a wide points victory and will represent Derbyshire against Yorkshire early March and compete for the Elite Youth East Midlands Belt at the end of the month.

Birmingham was the venue for schoolboy Cyle McGuigan, senior Keanan Bates and, out once again, Ennis Kirk-Fletcher.

Cyle has shown huge improvement in the gym and his training over recent months, but was slow out of the gates in the first round.

After dropping the first, McGuigan gradually moved on to the front foot and started to establish a competitive rhythm.

This was a loss for the Buxton boxer who will take valuable experience from the contest.

Ennis was matched on short notice and instructed to box as he had in his previous bout.

Leading off with twos and threes Kirk-Fletcher looked strong and in control, taking a competitive fist round.

Sent out to maintain his lead, Ennis felt the pace during the second and can credit his fitness to come back and recover during the break ready to push victory in the final stanza.

Dropping a contest on the road to the home boxer happens, but this was an excellent display and demonstrates a boxer with excellent skills and heart.

Ennis won the first and lost the second round, the judges were split on the third giving the it to the Birmingham lad.

There were no complaints from the Buxton corner, both lads were excellent and neither deserved not to have their hand raised.

Buxton senior Keanan Bates topped the bill for his third contest of the season and has been patiently working in the background, putting in the hours in the gym and with top quality sparring.

After working on starting fast to secure the first round, Bates did just that landing a huge back hand to rock his opponent and force the first standing count close to bell.

The remainder of the bout was highly entertaining and saw two strong and talented Middleweights push for supremacy.

Bates was caught with a big shot early in the second but went on to feign and draw his opponent, leading off and catching him with heavy shots and forcing the referee to intervene with another three standing counts before waving the contest off and awarding the Buxton man a stoppage win.

The club are currently seeking new premises and interested in talking to perspective landlords.

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The club are currently taking new members - call 07961 839433.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​