Charity and boxing go hand-in-hand in Dewsbury
KBW’s reputation as a ‘club which cares’ only enhanced further last weekend as its 10th boxing show raised funds for some of the world’s most in-need refugees.
The Dewsbury-based club held the sell-out event at the Orchid Banqueting Suite, with sport fans turning out in their masses to see some of the top local talent.
Kicking off the night was an array of youth bouts, showcasing local lads: Lewis Benson, Uzair Kiani and Harkaran Singh, with all three fighters taking to the ring for the
Three rounds of skilled bouts gave each young competitor the chance to shine in the ring, before amateur contests got underway, with Fizan Khan losing out to Shaquille Martins on points, Corey Riley defeating Tom Collingwood, Asim Arshad claiming victory against Subhaan Mahmood and Adam Yafai clinching a split decision win against Alan Hasan.
The two main fights of the night started with KBW’s Huzaifa Khan facing off against James Jacques.
If Jacques had thought it was going to be an easy night he had a rude awakening as the local boxer got off to an aggressive start from the first bell.
Despite being the more experienced fighter, as well as having a height and reach advantage, Jacques was unable to control the fight as his opponent dominated for much of the three rounds.
By the time the second round had come around, the visiting fighter had been forced to change his strategy yet continued to absorb some devastating body shots and blows to the head.
The third round saw a brave attempt by Jacques to regain a foothold in the matchup, yet after a flurry of heavy uppercuts landed, a standing eight count was forced
Despite both fighters making it to the final bell, there was only one winner as Khan’s hand was raised by unanimous decision.
In the second main event of the night, KBW’s Saif Cheema rounded off a memorable night for the gym as he defeated Mark Bebington by a unanimous decision.
The New Era Boxing Academy competitor may have towered over the 6ft 2inch Cheema – a rare sight for the Dewsbury fighter – yet his mentality kept him on the front foot for the majority of the contest.
Throughout the first round, both men felt each other out and traded few blows, both boxing on back foots and waiting for counters.
Eventually Cheema’s hand speed seemed to be the tool to success and he seemed to land more than his opponent, using footwork to stay out of the way of a dangerous big shot.
A similar two rounds followed, Cheema once again using his movement and jab to frustrate his opponent, ultimately earning him the clear triumph.
Following the night of action, Shammy Cheema, of KBW, said the night had exceeded all expectations.
“In total, we had over 10 boxing bouts, giving a lot of our own KBW boxers the chance to show what they can do against other club boxers from across the area.
“Over the years, these shows have becoming increasingly popular in the amateur boxing circuit with ever-growing turnout figures and the fact that many local celebrities turn up to watch the quality display of boxing on show.
“Last week’s event was a success we can all be proud of.”
As well as boxers starring in the ring, there was a wealth of talent outside it too, with the likes of Atif Shafique, Haroon Khan and Junior Witter all in attendance.
