OXFORD University ABC will be bidding for their fourth successive win in the 107th Varsity Match at Oxford Town Hall tonight.
Another victory for Oxford would be highly significant, as they would take the overall lead in this historic event.
The Varsity tally stands at 51 wins apiece, ensuring this year’s clash for the Truelove Bowl takes on added pressure.
Doors for tonight’s event open at 7pm, with four exhibition fights taking place – two of which will be female bouts – before the main action gets under way.
James Kerr (Worcester) will bid to get the Dark Blues off to a winning start when he opens up against Theo Alli (Peterhouse) in the featherweight bout (57kg).
- READY TO GO: Oxford University’s Varsity team. Back row (from left): Conor Husbands (71kg), James Kerr (57kg), Stephen O’Driscoll (91kg), Greg Kilkenny (coach), Jack Straker (president), Jack Prescott (75kg). Front: Jim Frew (coach), Iain Holland (75kg, captain), Tom Eliasz (67kg), Richard Beck (63kg), Dave Mace (head coach). Missing: Rowan Callinan (63kg) and Antonin Besse (81kg)
Rowan Callinan (Christ Church) then takes on Jamie O’Neill (Churchill) in a lightweight contest (60kg).
The light-welterweight (63.5kg) fight sees Oxford’s Richard Beck (Somer-ville) face Steffan Lavelle (Gonville and Caius), before Tom Eliasz (Worcester) goes for glory against Cambridge’s Christopher Hooton (St John’s) in the welterweight division (67kg).
Conor Husbands (St Edmund Hall) is up against Jasryan Singh Birk (St John’s) in the light middleweight category (71kg).
Dark Blues captain Iain Holland (St Benet’s Hall) will be next in action, hoping to see off Robert Liu (Fitz-william) in the first of two middleweight fights (75kg).
The other bout involves Oxford’s Jack Prescott (University) and Light Blues rival Lampros Litos (Magdalene).
The penultimate fight of the night sees Oxford’s Antonin Besse (Trinity) face Tinashe Murozoki (Churchill) in a light-heavyweight encounter (81kg).
And then the explosive heavyweight clash (91kg) rounds off the night with Dark Blues’ Stephen O'Driscoll (Somerville) taking on Jack Randall (Magdalene).
- TICKETS are still available from Elmer Cotton, on Turl Street, online at ouabc.com and on the door from 6.30pm.
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