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Students were involved in seven bouts in the event at York Amateur Boxing Club on Redeness Street, Layerthorpe. Each fight saw three rounds of two minutes of sparring action as members put their skills to the test.
The opening bout saw light-heavyweights Umar Durrani and John Hunter take each other on, and Durrani started strongly with a great right hook as Hunter let his defences down.
In the second round Hunter continued to drop his guard and Durrani looked in control, but his opponent came back strongly in the final round. Hunter landed a sharp jab that drew blood from Durrani’s nose and he finished the bout with a blood smeared face.
Durrani, originally from Middlesbrough, said: “It was like an exam, there was pressure before but when you get in there you think about what you have to do. The coach on the side was really helpful: it’s a bit like being an adrenalin junkie!”.
“I’m hoping that I won. He didn’t hurt me at all, he was just slapping me.”
Nick Gopnik-Lewinski and Dave McDonald won the award for fight of the night for a thrilling light-middleweight bout. The pair excited the crowd with a fast start when both landed plenty of jabs.
Then McDonald’s low guard saw Gopnik-Lewinski take advantage with a succession of combinations. McDonald came back strongly in the second, landing a flurry of blows on his opponents chin. There were plenty of pauses as Gopnik-Lewinski’s head guard repeatedly came loose but he countered well in a match that finished evenly matched.
McDonald said: “I think it went OK. He outlasted me fitness-wise in the third round and he’s a good boxer. I’m definitely up for it again: we’ve had laughs before and after the match.”
“I’m a bit disappointed in myself, as I took some hits in the face, but if I keep training I can beat him. He’s a good boxer, really tight and strict.”
The main event of the evening saw York ABC’s 106kg heavyweight Ben Fairburnd take on YUBC’s Rich Bartle, who was 20kg lighter at 86kg.Bartle went toe-to-toe with his opponent and tried to out power him over the three rounds.
Fairburnd punished him with a succession of jabs and Bartle was forced to grappleto avoid being overwhelmed by the bigger man. Fairburnd then landed a solid uppercut as he forced his rival up against the ropes, and before long Bartle was bleeding from his nose and mouth.
But Bartle continued to show great energy and aggression, and pushed Fairburnd hard until the end of the fight.
After the bout Fairburnd, 19, said: “He’s a good strong lad and a good boxer. If he’d been a bit fitter it might have been different but it’s the first time I’ve done this in quite a few years now.”
Bartle added: “The weight was a massive difference, a decisive difference, I think it’s about five stone. I’ve done this a couple of times and hopefully tonight’s a good advert for the club.”
YUBC was founded three years ago and its membership has grown to almost 100 people. They hold two on campus training sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a Friday session at York ABC.
Other student bouts included Tom ‘Bubble’ Daltas take on Matt Speed, Oliver Butterworth against Freddy Agyemang and Andreas Masoura sparring with Michael Hartley.
Masoura said: “I got into boxing just for the fitness and because it looked quite interesting. It’s quite useful to know when people have had a few drinks and they get rowdy.”
“People should come down, it’s the hardest fitness you’ll do. Come boxing and you can eat ten Efes a week!”
YUBC President Alex Lacy, who announced the bouts, said: “We’ve never had an event like this before an we have only been able to do this due to the ABC and so we really have to thank them.” “In terms of injuries we’ve only ever had a split lip! We make sure we wear all the safety stuff of course. Boxing mostly improves cardio and muscular endurance if you want to be technical about it but it’s training that helps you to do things like punch and guard.”
“We’re always looking for new members, especially girls. We don’t have any women fighters tonight but we do have a thriving female fitness session.”
