THE Lowestoft Lions and Lowestoft Amateur Boxing Club's annual charity boxing dinner tournament was held at Pontins Holiday Centre in Pakefield last Friday.

THE Lowestoft Lions and Lowestoft Amateur Boxing Club's annual charity boxing dinner tournament was held at Pontins Holiday Centre in Pakefield last Friday.

Over 300 diners enjoyed a beef meal from local chef Kevin Reade before being treated to 13 well-contested bouts.

Organiser Ivan Gilbert praised Pontins staff for their help with setting up the event. He also thanked all the sponsors, boxing match maker Colin Stephenson and all the boxers who had travelled from around the region to entertain - with some close action in the ring.

With the boxers travelling from London, Bedford, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk as well as from the RAF, a first class boxing bill of exciting action hit the local venue. Due to illness and injuries, only one Lowestoft boxer competed and that was 16-year-old light middleweight Billy Innes.

Innes opponent was George Griffiths from the Essex club Centurion ABC.

Throughout Griffiths used his head, elbows and shoulders to seemingly foul the Lowestoft boxer with only an occasional warning. But a determined Innes kept his boxing together and did not get pulled into an untidy brawl as he backed the Essex boxer up with sharp straight punches thrown in flurries.

Although many experienced coaches and even Griffiths' own coach thought Billy had won with his cleaner punches, the judges went in favour on a majority points win to the Centurion boxer.

But Innes walked away with Taylor Properties most promising local junior boxer award and also the Alf Blowers Memorial for Best Boxer.

The George Pull Sportsman of The Year Shield went to 13-year-old Lee Casey from the Lowestoft ABC.

RESULTS

Liam Pearce (Centurian) lost to Leon Royce (Rayleigh)

L Goddard (Kingfisher) defeated N Isitt (Attleborough)

Bobby Brown (Kings Lynn) defeated Harry Graham (Rayleigh)

George Griffin (Centurian) defeated Billy Innes (Lowestoft ABC)

George Juby (Kings Lynn) defeated Sam Justice (Sudbury)

Darren Coleby (Kings Academy Ipswich) lost to Myles McGartland (Bedford)

Dewey Taylor (Sudbury) lost to Watson (RAF Boxing)

Conner Raune (Kingfisher) beat Tom King (Kings Academy Ipswich)

Craig Minter (Centurian) lost to Jon Callender (Bedford)

John Hopper beat Gary Grimwood (Kings Academy Ipswich)

Luke Hilton (Basildon) lost to Jordan Warnes (Ipswich )

Ben Dalton (Attleborough) beat Cathal Fitzpatrick

Roman Simkus (Cambridge) beat Mattheus Thorpe (Kings Academy Ipswich)

Lowestoft ABC trophy winners -

Alf Blowers Memorial Trophy - Boxer of the year - Billy Innes

(presented by Mike Davies)

Clifford Pull Memorial Shield - Young sportsman of the year - Lee Casey

Roger Taylor Memorial Trophy - Most promising local junior boxer - Billy Innes (presented by Brandon Taylor)