Winners’ medals, trophies and speeches were shared out at Norton Radstock Amateur Boxing Club’s presentation night held at Paulton Rovers FC.

Attended by club members, parents and specially-invited guests of the first Radstock ABC, the night was a huge success.

Representing the original club of the 1940s was founder, Eric Coles, Alan Gould, Mike Brown and its most-decorated boxer, Royston Fuller. Also on hand to give out trophies were present day professional boxers, Ryan Wheeler – fresh from winning the International Challenge Belt, and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight Champion, Ash Lane.

The first awards to be handed out were ‘Most Improved Male and Female’, which went to Hannah Rutt and joint-winners, Harley Wyatt and Jake Moon for showing great improvement and perseverance in the gym.

Up next was the club’s ‘Best Male’ and ‘Best Female’ boxer. Collecting his first of two awards of the night was Cameron Walker for his winning start of two bouts, two wins.

Keen to emulate her male counterpart was female winner, Lydia Williams. Coach, Sean Jenkins, said: “Both have shown great dedication and attitude and have a great future ahead of them if they continue to work hard.”

Ryan Dimery-Seek was rewarded next for his outstanding contribution to raising funds for the club’s new flooring and equipment by taking home the ‘Club Person of the Year’ award. For his historical selection to the county team club, boxer Max Francis was awarded the ‘Special Achievement Award’.

After a short break to auction off two pairs of signed gloves by Wheeler and Lane, raising a total of £107, the awards returned with the ‘Nick Blackwell Award for Heart and Courage’. The recipient was Cain Rogers, who, after a difficult start to his amateur days three years ago and a year out, has decided to return to face his fears and return to the competition ring next season.

And so, to the two most prestigious awards of the night, ‘Boxer’s Boxer of the Year’ and ‘Coaches’ Boxer of the Year’. The ‘Boxer’s Boxer’ was voted by all club members alone and the overwhelming winner was, for her second award of the night, Lydia Williams.

Sean said: “Bearing in mind Lydia has only been training for about seven months, it’s fantastic to see that not only have we coaches seen her potential, but her fellow gym mates can see it too, so I’m really pleased for her.”

In a nod to the first Amateur Club in Radstock, the coaches found it a fitting tribute to hand over to Eric Coles the honour of presenting the ‘Coaches’ Boxer of the Year’ Championship Belt. For his outstanding hard work in the gym, in the competition ring and for proudly representing the club, its members and coaches, the winner was Cameron Walker.

“Choosing our winner wasn’t a difficult decision really, when you see how hard Cameron trains, how far he has come and what he is doing in his bouts,” said coach, Jeff White.

“To see the elation on all our winners’ faces makes it all worthwhile. I’m so glad we had a huge turnout – in the four years we’ve been going as a club, this was by far the best awards night we’ve had.

“We are immensely proud of every boxer in the club, not just the winning ones tonight.

“On behalf of the coaches and members, we would like to thank Ryan and Ash for coming along and being so humble towards our members, and a huge thank you to the old boxers, Roy Fuller, Mike Brown, Alan Gould, and founder, Eric Coles.”