A BOXING competition brought together young fighters from across the county while also promoting men’s health issues.

The Ox-Box event last Sunday, pitted 36 boxers aged 10 to 21 from 14 clubs across England against each other.

The competition, co-organised by Oxfordshire Youth and Cherwell District Council, included 20 contestants from all seven Oxfordshire amateur boxing clubs: Abingdon, Banbury, Berinsfield, Blackbird Leys, Oxford Boxing Academy, Spit ‘N’ Sawdust in Banbury and Windrush Valley.

The two ‘Best Bout’ awards were handed to Aaron Wheeler, 17, from Banbury Boxing Club, and Kieran Clarke, 13, from Blackbird Leys Amateur Boxing Club.

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Kieran, from Barton, has boxed for five years. He lost his match but said he fought well, adding: “The boy was just a bit too powerful for me.

“It’s a good club, brilliant coaches. It was a good organised fight.”

Mum Nichila Perisi, 34, said: “It was fun. I go to all of them.

“I’m always nervous because they’re young kids but it’s all done safely. I trust the judges.

“Blackbird Leys is a really good club but they need more backing from the council. For the work they do there, they should get more.”

Aaron Wheeler, who is in Year 12 at Space Studio Banbury, said: “It was good to see different clubs and different styles of boxers. I thought everyone did well. It was going to be close.”

Oxford Mail:

Darrion Leigh of Banbury Boxing Club in red and Jake Turner of Abingdon Boxing Club.

Fellow club member Darrion Leigh, 15, said: “It was tough, but I enjoyed it.

“The day was set up well – there were some good fights. It was good to have everyone together and get to know people.”

Amid the jabbing, the righthooks and the nosebleeds, the event, at Spiceball Leisure Centre in Banbury looked to tackle issues out of the ring, with stalls from mental health awareness charity Time to Change and LBGT rights charity Stonewall.

The event was the brainchild of Oxfordshire Youth club support officer Ben Malcher, who co-runs the Banbury Boxing Club with his brother Tom.

Oxford Mail:

Tyler Joyce of Jubilee ABC and Stephen Greatbatch of Banbury Boxing Club, at the Ox-Box event last Sunday.

Mr Malcher said: “I’d got the background in the boxing world, and Oxfordshire Youth has been affiliated with Ambition and the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs, who have held events in the past. It went really well.”

Oxfordshire Youth chief executive Jodie Leftwich said: “Historically boxing was one of the things we were involved in a lot.

“In the last five years we haven’t been so involved. With Ben we had a lovely link.

“It’s really good in terms of our membership, promoting first aid and safeguarding training.”

About 150 spectators and 80 club representatives came to Ox-Box. It is hoped a similar event can take place next year.

Berinsfield head coach Mel Corrigan, 58, said: “It was fantastic.

It brought all of the Oxfordshire clubs together. That doesn’t happen very often.

“All credit to Banbury and to Ben and Tom Malcher.

“Ben was the only reason it happened, and it was very well done.”