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Boxing club celebrates new facilties

12:37pm Thursday 20th March 2008

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WHEN Golden Ring founder Freddie Potter heard the boxing club's new gym was to be named in his honour, it brought him to tears.

Southampton's top club moved into its £1m purpose-built gym at Mansel Park Pavilion, Millbrook, this month, ending a six-year stay at Waterloo Road, Freemantle.

Although former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan will conduct an official ceremony later this month, the Freddie Potter Hall of Boxing is already open.

Trainer Stuart Gill said the name was a fitting tribute to the man who started the club 25 years ago.

Potter is currently seriously ill with throat cancer.

Gill said: "When we told him, he couldn't talk because of the cancer, and he just stood there and cried.

"He's done so much for boxing in the area. We are hoping he has got a long life ahead of him still."

Plans for the gym have been in the pipeline for about four years, but the dream only became a reality thanks to grants from the South East England Development Agency and Southampton City Council.

Based in the new Mansel Park community building, Gill said it is a vast improvement, including a substantially bigger ring.

"It's incredible, the place is just so much better," he said. "When we opened for the first time we were absolutely packed out.

"We have had a lot of compliments about the place and a lot of people have put a lot of effort in to get it open.

"I have got to give credit to Cllr Dennis Harryman. He has put so much work into it and he's been brilliant all the way through."

The club has a proud history of producing champions, with Ian Weaver one of the best recent successes The 18-year-old featherweight has captained England and is hoping to make it to the London 2012 Olympics.

Gill hopes the new gym will help the club's production line of talent to increase.

"Hopefully there will be a few more Ian Weavers coming out of the gym,"

said Gill. "We have got so many good, young boxers here now.

"We've got eight lads entering the ABA Championships this month and the most we've ever had before is three I think."

Gill said: "Our main aim is to work with kids that would otherwise be hanging about on street corners and causing trouble, and giving them a purpose in life.

"We want to educate them on why they shouldn't be out drinking and taking drugs."

● Golden Ring are running a new "Kids for a Quid" scheme on Sunday mornings (10am-11am).

The non-contact events are aimed at children from the ages of five to tenyears- old, who would not normally be allowed into a boxing gym.

For more information, contact Gill on 07958 277526.


Your Say YourThis is Hampshire

Matthew, Shirley says...
1:47pm Thu 20 Mar 08

Great stuff and let's hope it produces some future champions and proves as an inspiration to the entire community.

J.Finnegan, Southampton says...
2:50pm Thu 20 Mar 08

"Kids for a quid" on sundays at 10am-11am.
These children should be in church.That would stop the propensity to drink and take drugs. Teaching them to fight will just add fuel to the fire.

athiest, non believer says...
3:23pm Thu 20 Mar 08

J.Finnegan wrote:
"Kids for a quid" on sundays at 10am-11am.
These children should be in church.That would stop the propensity to drink and take drugs. Teaching them to fight will just add fuel to the fire.
Theres always one isnt there TUT

Go and get a life your the one in cloud cuckoo land thinkin god exists.the biggest lie in history

good on the gym and fantastic new facilities for the kids

John Mc, says...
4:02pm Thu 20 Mar 08

good news Stu,hope you settle in quick...i know its been a long struggle for you but its worth it now eh

dave, millbrook says...
4:41pm Thu 20 Mar 08

J.Finnegan wrote:
"Kids for a quid" on sundays at 10am-11am. These children should be in church.That would stop the propensity to drink and take drugs. Teaching them to fight will just add fuel to the fire.
Are you on drugs?

Stephen Smith, Southampton says...
6:29pm Thu 20 Mar 08

J.Finnegan wrote:
\\\"Kids for a quid\\\" on sundays at 10am-11am. These children should be in church.That would stop the propensity to drink and take drugs. Teaching them to fight will just add fuel to the fire.
As the coach who has built the training program for Kid-A-Quid I will go on record as saying that there is actually little emphasis on teaching these kids how to box, due to their young age.

The emphasis is on fitness and team games, which develop certain boxing attributes such as footwork and the concept of getting in and out. The nearest they get to throwing any punches is several 1 minute rounds on the bags.

Sceptic, Waterside says...
9:47pm Thu 20 Mar 08

J.Finnegan wrote:
\"Kids for a quid\" on sundays at 10am-11am. These children should be in church.That would stop the propensity to drink and take drugs. Teaching them to fight will just add fuel to the fire.
Our local vicar is now an 'ex' vicar as he is in prison after being convicted of child rape!
Boxing teaches, amongst other things, DISCIPLINE..somethin

g sorely lacking in our local ex-church leader. If you boil down all the motivations of most churchgoers you will find that you end up with just one main motivation..ENSURING THEIR OWN PASSAGE TO HEAVEN...it's a very selfish pursuit. The boxing coach (above) on the other hand is giving his time to give children and adults some direction in their lives and help them gain confidence and become better people. I think Jesus would prefer the actions of this man to those of you in church every sunday feathering your own nests!!
As for your drink and drugs comment- Didn't Jesus turn water into WINE? Alcohol is a recreational drug like any other,the only difference is a piece of paper legislation somewhere stating that its legal.

Marina, Southampton says...
11:02am Wed 30 Apr 08

i think its great

im a girl and i want to startit- but just to tone up not actually proper boxing!!!
amazing stuff
xxxxxxxxxxx

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