BUDE Boxing Academy are over the moon having racked up three national amateur titles over the last 12 months.

The first came last March when young rising star Taylor Barber boxed through to the National Finals in London, only to completely outbox an opponent with twice his experience and a couple of titles already under his belt. Taylor was crowned the Junior National Champion at 63.5-66kgs for 2017/18, the first national amateur boxing champion to come from the town.

The second and third came on December 9, by the way of a wrecking ball of a boy Nathan Martin, and Barber, who was now slightly older and allowed to enter the Amateur Boxing Alliance National Youth Championships.

Martin entered the Under 60kg category, and due to his aggressive style, savage power and unrelenting fitness, most entrants either pulled out or entered the weight groups above or below to avoid him, only leaving one tough young Londoner, Mohammed ul-Haq to take him on in the finals. 

Martin backed off from his usual bulldozer tactics at first, to work his opponent out and utilise his speed and technical prowess. Once he got into his flow, he picked beautifully-placed single shots that bruised the Londoner’s soul. After having some fun showing off in the second-round, his coach, Ross Chard, read him the riot act and told him to be serious.

When the bell sounded to start the third, Martin was all business. He landed some devastating blows, causing the referee to administer a standing eight-count.

The bout carried on and ‘The Rockbiscuit’ straight away connected with a devastating left hook that sent the lad to the other side of the ring. The referee the stopped the contest in the interests of safety and Martin was crowned winner by technical knockout and national youth champion at 57-60kg for 2018/19.

Barber had a longer journey ahead of him, firstly boxing an old foe in the pre-quarter-finals in Malmesbury. This was a tough ask but was well within the Bude boxer’s capabilities and he won by unanimous points decision.

Next were the quarter-finals and semi-finals in Reading. Barber came across a very rough and ready boxer in the last eight at the start of the day, where he was pushed, pulled, held and slapped throughout, but he stayed composed and handed out a boxing lesson to seal a clear victory. 

Hours after his roughing up, Barber took on a tall, ultra-slick boxer in the semi-finals who knew all the tricks in the book, but all that backfired as the Cornishman stuck to clear, precise punching to take that win too.

Barber was now in the finals alongside his clubmate taking on another one of the top prospects in the country.

All were expecting a very close, tough contest when looking at the finalists’ extensive resumes, but Barber 2.0 turned up in the ring making the bout truly one-sided, he was hit just a handful of times in the whole three-round bout, whilst he clinically dissected his opponent to take by unanimous decision, the youth national title at 63.5-67kg for 2018/19.

In its short history, Bude Boxing Academy is achieving great things, from competing on club shows across the country, to winning national tournaments and most importantly helping children and adults with their physical and mental wellbeing. 

Saturday, March 2, also saw the academy’s 15th home show since its establishment in 2012 as Tamar Amateur Boxing Club at B.E.D. nightclub.

The 17-bout show, dubbed ‘Spring Time Dust Up’, welcomed two clubs from London, Eltham and District and Bromley and Downham along with South West clubs, Launceston, Saltash, Barnstaple, Seven Hills (Torquay) and Plymouth’s Carl’s Boxing Stable and Stonehouse — all to do battle with Bude’s current crop.

The show featured 15 of the 20 registered Bude athletes — Richard Dicker, Sam Westwood, Rhys Chard, Ben Finn, Harry Sasse, Taylor Barber, Thomas Robins, Harry Fackrell, Louis Whelan, Theo Funnel, Henry Roe, Milky Barstow and Archie Tape. 

Sadly for the club, the others were unable to compete due to pull outs or injuries. 

Club trainer, Ross Chard, said: “All of the boxers gave a magnificent account of themselves and thoroughly entertained the capacity crowd at B.E.D. nightclub with Sam Westwood vs Aaron Docherty being voted ‘Best Senior Bout’ and Archie Tape vs Charlie Ludwell being voted ‘Best Junior Bout’. 

The club’s next show will be held in October.

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