University boxer Nick Edelman (blue headguard) and Iceni ABC's Andrew Butcher trade blows

Comprehensive win for students

CAMBRIDGE University’s boxers got a welcome confidence boost ahead of next month’s varsity match with a comprehensive 7-1 win in the Town against Gown match.

University coach Lee Mitchell told Cambridge First last week that the Town boxers often have the edge over their opponents from the colleges, and will have been delighted to see his fighters dominate in almost every bout at the Guildhall.

Aron Schleider of St Edmund’s College set the tone early on, winning a split majority decision after a one-sided contest with Keelan Stewart from South Holland BC of Holbeach.

The Town had two South Holland boxers guesting for them, the second of whom, Daniel Bunn, scored an easy victory over the University’s Kris Ren. But by then Gown were well in control, with Chris Perry surviving a gutsy third-round fight-back from Daniel Aro (Cambridge ABC) to claim a unanimous victory, before Nick Edelman sent the students in the crowd wild by knocking out Iceni ABC’s Andrew Butcher.

Hughes Hall student Edelman, who rowed for Goldie in last year’s reserve Boat Race, stormed out in the third round and had Butcher on the canvas early before finishing the job with a second knock-down moments later.

Another popular winner was Seb Pender, who was claimed victory over Phil Richardson (Cambridge ABC). The match had been fairly even, but Pender had the edge in each of the three rounds and claimed a unanimous-decision win.

Iceni’s Joel Saul survived two standing counts before the referee eventually stopped his bout with Sam Burgess. Borna Guevel has crossed over from the dark side, and the former Oxford student, now studying at Hughes Hall, could face his ex-University in the varsity match after getting a unanimous decision to secure victory over Wisbech ABC boxer Kris Loginvos.

Finally, heavyweight debutant Chris Meunce secured a unanimous-decision victory in his clash with Cambridgeshire Police’s Matt Parr, and the Gown could celebrate their biggest win in the fixture for several years.