Ring contenders ready for a fight

Nov 28 2008 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

CONTENDERS from the thriving Kinross Amateur Boxing Academy are ready to take on all-comers after landing titles at a major meeting.

Welterweight Alastair Gonzales and light heavyweight David Drummond struck major blows for the reputation of the Big County fight game by winning their respective events at the recent Northern Scotland District Championships at Gairloch Leisure Centre.

Gonzales (26) produced a commanding performance in Ross-shire to outfox former regional welterweight champion Elias Gere, who reached the Scottish senior final last year.

In an all-Kinross light heavyweight final, Drummond (24) got the better of his highly-rated clubmate David Nelson (18).

The dramatic all-Kinross affair, which rounded off the championships, was played out in front of around 250 dinner guests.

KABA secretary Andy Caulfield yesterday sang the praises of his charges following the twin triumph.

“It was a great result for Ally (Gonzales) who can now put himself forward for international honours and a tilt at the Scottish championship,” he told PA Sport.

“It is unfortunate the two Davids are both at the same weight, but for Kinross to have been guaranteed a title before a punch was thrown in the final was an incredible feeling.

“Theirs was a good, hard-fought contest and one of the best in the whole finals evening.”

While the aforementioned trio scaled the heights, sadly their tipped-for-honours Kinross colleague Ryan Warden was forced to miss out due to illness.

The big-punching 17-year-old was unable to compete in the flyweight (51kgs) division due to a virus and was confined to bed.

Meanwhile, Drummond and Nelson are back in action tonight when the cream of the Northern District take on a Manchester select at the New Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.

Elsewhere, there were mixed fortunes for two of KABA’s 16-year-olds who were late call-ups to last week’s annual Prince of Wales Amateur BC tournament at Cardiff’s National Sports Centre.

In front of a 650-strong audience, novice junior flyweight Ally MacKay claimed a points victory, but middleweight Aaron McNeil was forced to withdraw from his bout after suffering a cut above his eye.

The pair were joined in Wales by Kinross member Darryl Rowley (15), who played bagpipes while the fighters entered the ring.

Reflecting on the teenagers’ participation in the event, Caulfield said: “It all bears well for the future.”