"Fantastic, Stunning, Thrilling" - that was the verdict on the 2008 Evening of Amateur Boxing, Macclesfield Boys Boxing Club’s massively successful hometown event.
Last Friday’s showcase, staged at the Wilmslow Leisure Centre, included a value-for-money night of fighting that ensured no one in the arena went home feeling short-changed.
Head coach Kevin Bradbury put together a spectacular fight night, with 14 well-matched bouts to entertain a sell-out crowd, and MBBC enjoyed 10 victories.
Just three of the local fighters were defeated, and there was one bout between two visiting boxers.
A selected squad of talented boxers from seven clubs from the north west, Derbyshire and Staffordshire regions were invited.
Watching the stars of the future at ringside were Macclesfield mayor and mayoress, Barry Burkhill and Susan Bidwell, the club’s honorary president, professional super-featherweight star Steve Bell, Ricky Hatton’s former trainer Bobby Rimmer and a number of his proteges, including Brian Rose and Jack Arnfield.
This was the fourth annual showcase staged by the club, and the bouts came thick and fast as, one by one, the Macclesfield youngsters showed their skills in front of an enthusiastic audience.
