TWO young Penarth boxers overcame tough opposition to win their bouts recently

Jake Downs of Penarth Amateur Boxing Club in Station Road had his first fight in a year after injury.

He boxed Jacob Stevens from the Bideford Amateur Boxing Club in Bristol at the Towy Amateur Boxing Club show on November 4.

Both had very similar records and very styles as both were box fighters which always makes for a good fight.

Before the fight Mr Munn Munn, Jake's coach told Jake to make sure that he worked behind his sold jab.

Jake did exactly that and then came through with some solid right hand left hooks.

The first round was very close and Jake came back to his corner with his coach being really pleased with Jake.

He let Jake catch his breath and Mr Munn asked Jake if every thing was okay to which Jake replied "this is brilliant."

Mr Munn explained: "When you have a fighter like Jake its easy to teach them to box because they just enjoy fighting in the ring."

In the second round Jake was told to try and slip a few shots under Stevens' elbow into his body.

Jake did this four or five times and at the end of the round Stevens was blowing hard.

Jake was blowing too but he had smile on his face.

Jake just pinched the second round so it was all on this third round.

Jake was told to keep doing what he was doing because it was working and he did keep doing what he was doing.

Like a true warrior, Jake went straight into Stevens catching him with some lovely right hands and then coming back around with the left hook.

After a minute you could see that Stevens had had enough and even Mr Munn was shouting for the referee to stop it.

Eventually he did, and Jake's hand was raised in victory, Mr Munn said after the fight that Jake Downs is one of the most promising lads at Penarth ABC and that if he stays honest to the sport that he is going to go a long way and he will be a champion.

Another boxer out that weekend was Harly Vastaloo for the second time in a week.

The week before Harly had had a comfortable win in Bristol knocking his man out in the second round so Mr Munn wanted to get him out quickly to keep him busy and on his toes.

Harly and Mr Munn went to Hereford on Friday, November 3 to fight a local lad where it felt like everybody in the place knew this bloke.

The noise was deafening.

He had a better record than Harly but Mr Munn wasn’t bothered with this as he has a lot of confidence in Harly.

So the bell rang for the first round and straight away.

Mr Munn could see that he knew what he was doing and was very strong in doing it.

Harly stayed strong behind his jab and stayed on his front foot.

Because Penarth boxers don’t run, in doing this Harly was taking the game apart.

Harly took the first roundd because of his jab

In the break Harly's coach Mr Munn told Harly that when he was catching with the jab that was picking his hands and elbows up really high and that there was a big downstairs for a left hook to the body.

Harly went out and hit with some really good body shots which took the wind right out of his opponent's sails but he was a really strong bloke as he never stopped coming back at Harly.

But Mr Munn could see that they were working and won the second round.

Harly was told going into the third round to keep doing what he was doing and to keep his hands high and to stay on his front foot as Mr Munn new that his opponent was going to come out like a wild man but Harly wasn’t phased and boxed just as he was told and won every round.

Mr Munn said well done to the opponent as he is a very strong man with boxing ability and it was an excellent fight.

Harly will be back out now before Christmas