Aldridge builds on start (From Gazette Series)

Aldridge builds on start

WITH the Christmas cobwebs well and truly shaken off, two of Synwell Amateur Boxing Club's fighters were in action at the Gloucester ABC dinner show held at Sir Thomas Rich's School, Gloucester, last Friday evening.

Eleven-year-old Billy Aldridge and Gloucester's Jason Meloscia were matched in an entertaining contest where the two boys showed off their skills and fitness in an unrelenting contest.

Round one saw Aldridge take the contest to the smaller and lighter Meloscia, who retaliated by counter-punching as he was forced to retreat.

Aldridge continued to press his opponent, chasing him around the ring and trapping him in the corners.

The Gloucester fighter continued to battle even though he appeared to be physically overpowered.

The following two rounds saw the pace of the contest accelerate with both boys exchanging punches with very little respite, Aldridge the aggressor and Meloscia the counter-puncher.

After a hard-fought contest, Aldridge's strength had overcome a very game opponent, the result being a surprising majority points victory after what appeared to be an overwhelming performance by the Synwell boxer.

He was also presented with the best schoolboy boxer of the evening award.

Sixteen-year-old Lee Heal was in action against Gloucester ABC's Chris Gould.

This was a disappointing contest in which neither boxer showed his true potential.

In a lacklustre performance, it became three rounds of very little action with very few punches exchanged and those that were, were of a rather dubious quality.

Neither of the boxers seemed willing to take the contest to the other, appearing happy to shadow each other around the ring, throwing the minimum amount of punches.

The result a unanimous verdict to Chris Gould.