Macclesfield Boys’ Boxing Club had the pleasure of welcoming back an old friend recently.
Lieutenant Liam Macaulay returned to the club along with 10 other members of Blenheim Company, who form part of the Second Battalion of the Duke of Lancaster regiment.
The lieutenant approached his old training adversary, Macclesfield’s Liam Hanrahan, with a view to getting in some additional in-ring training and conditioning.
The soldiers are preparing for their annual inter-club novice boxing company championships a five-day event accumulating overall winners in each weight category.
The inter-club tournament can lead to the cream of the crop representing their regiment in future armed service competitions.
Head coach at the Sunderland Street club, Kevin Bradbury, said: "It was a great pleasure to have the soldiers who made the trip down from Lancaster to the gym and were treated to a good two-hour session with all the coaches taking part, along with the current Macclesfield boxers.
"Everyone enjoyed the banter, worked hard and got on really well and hopefully all present will benefit from the experience.
"The club have made a promise to open their doors to the regiment as and when required in support of the couragous job that they do."
MBBC’s light-heavyweight Gaz Jones had his first bout of the season at a dinner show hosted by Hulton Abbey ABC, taking on Wales select fighters.
At the TA Centre in Stoke-on Trent, the special guest was two-time world heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon.
The seven-match card had Macclesfield’s Jones scheduled to fight in the penultimate bout against home country opponent, Tom King of Wales.
Although Jones gave a strong and gutsy performance in all three rounds, it was the tall and agile King’s fast hands that saw him awarded a points decision.
Hanrahan is in action in Dublin this week, in the Irish ABA Championships.
The tournament takes place over three weekends in Dublin.
