Fiona Power met a very strong opponent on her ring debut in Croydon. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0874307)
GUERNSEY’S first competitive female boxer lost her maiden fight at the weekend, but her coach believed she should not have got in the ring.
Fiona Power fought in an event in Croydon on Friday night.
She came up against a very strong opponent and according to Graham Guilbert, the Amalgamated Boys Club’s head coach, they found out afterwards that she is ranked eighth or ninth in the world as a kick boxer and has plans to taking up boxing professionally.
Understandably, Power was stopped in the second round.
Guilbert was not at the event and a London coach was in Power’s corner.
Guilbert was clearly not happy that his fighter was put into that position.
‘If I was there, I wouldn’t have let her box,’ he said. ‘Not for her first bout.’
It was also disappointing weekend for Tom Duff and Shane Le Patourel.
The pair were due to fight in the national quarter-finals of the ABA Senior Novice Championships in Romford on Sunday after they were each were crowned Western Counties Champions in Gloucestershire a couple of weeks ago.
However, middleweight Duff and welterweight Le Patourel now have to wait this Sunday as the quarter-finals were put back a week.
Guilbert did not know the exact reason why but believes it was something to do with the venue.
This weekend will be a busy few days for the boxing coach.
On Friday night, Guernsey take on a North West select side in the Dinner Boxing Show at the St Pierre Park Hotel.
Three Alderney boxers – Saul Woodruff, Billy Le Poullion and Dave Chadney – feature in their blue vests in the home team’s line-up.
‘They weren’t given a lot of bouts last year,’ said Guilbert about the Ridunian fighters.
‘I’ve managed to get three of them in one show.’
A number of inexperienced local boxers are also been given a chance on Friday including Ben O’Regan, Sam Bishop and Daniel Kirk.
The highly-rated light-welterweight Gage Demore is also on the programme and Bradley Watson is topping the bill.
According to Guilbert, the ‘Glamour Boy’ has a tough job on his hands when he faces Raz Hamza in their flyweight clash.
‘This is one is one of the top ones he’ll be boxing this year,’ said Guilbert.
‘He’s got the ABAs coming up and he needs these sort of opponents.’Round-up: Busy weekend approaching
Article posted on 24th November, 2009 - 2.29pm
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