THE ambitions of Royston Amateur Boxing Club cannot be denied. And it was evident on Saturday evening that even in the past year a lot of hard work and pure effort has been put into making the club a key sporting outlet for youngsters. And the youngsters

THE ambitions of Royston Amateur Boxing Club cannot be denied.

And it was evident on Saturday evening that even in the past year a lot of hard work and pure effort has been put into making the club a key sporting outlet for youngsters.

And the youngsters who have taken on the toughest of sports are doing the club proud.

But this was not just an evening when the club's talents were on display.

It was an occasion, too, when those responsible for re-creating the club had, in a way, come of age.

A year has passed since the club staged a dinner show at The Meridian School in Royston.

It's been a year which has seen steady progress, both inside and outside the ring - and one in which those taking the decisions are looking at expanding the club.

Last month the club was recognised, too, from a different direction, when the Herts in Trust scheme gave it a grant of more than £2,500. Club president Andy Geraghty told The Crow in an interview recently: "There's certainly a lot of promise here, and we have high hopes for them all." Such promise was demonstrated in the ring on Saturday evening, as three of the club's leading talents displayed both skill and tenacity in coming out ahead in their bouts.

First, there was Levi Raymond. His taller stance and longer reach was always likely to prove too much for his opponent, Joe Goddard, of Fulbourn ABC.

Raymond was always the more aggressive, and his string of scoring punches in the second round did much to secure the bout.

In the third round, Raymond's relentless punishing right saw Goddard take a standing count. He won, as expected, on a unanimous decision.

In his bout, Royston's Wesley Washington gave the impression from the start that he wanted to complete the business as soon as possible.

But in spite of his rapid opening, his opponent E Rawlingson, of the Cambridgeshire-based Iceni club, survived the onslaught, although could do nothing as Washington put together a combination of punches. He, too, gained a unanimous verdict.

One of the evening's most lively contests was from Royston's Ryan Hutchings and John Kirby, of the Goldstar ABC.

Hutchings always appeared the stronger, but there was a resilience about Kirby, and both were determined and willing to exchange punches in an exhilarating contest.

Hutchings, however, did more than enough to gain a unanimous points decision.