A young boxer from Dunoon stepped into the ring for the first time at the weekend as Dunoon Amateur Boxing Club (DABC) prospect Shay Morgan made his competitive debut at a show in Dalkeith.
Shay, a pupil at Dunoon Grammar School, fought at 62kg against Blake, who came into the contest with three previous bouts under his belt.
Despite the experience gap and the challenge of fighting away from home, the 14-year-old put in a determined display over the full three rounds.
Coaches at DABC said they were proud of the youngster’s effort in his first outing.
“Shay was confident and well prepared going into the bout,” a club spokesperson said.
“We knew it was going to be a hard fight due to the other boxer having more experience and with it being an away show. Shay lasted all three rounds and showcased his determination. When the final bell rang we knew who would take the win, but we were beyond proud of what Shay had achieved and we know he has a good future ahead of him.”
Shay only took up the sport around a year ago after first being introduced to boxing at school.
He explained: “I have been boxing for about a year.
“I got involved after going to an after-school boxing class with Mr Sangha at Dunoon Grammar School. After a few weeks he advised me to go to Dunoon Amateur Boxing Club at the stadium. When I arrived at the boxing gym I saw the level of some of the boxers there and I was hooked.”
The teenager said he felt prepared before stepping through the ropes for his first bout, adding: “Before stepping in the ring on Sunday I felt ready.
“I had done a lot of sparring leading up to the fight and combat sports is something I’ve always had an interest in doing. I was disappointed with the result but satisfied with my performance.”
Now the young boxer is already looking ahead to his next steps in the sport, as he aims to improve.
He added: “Next for me is to work on the lessons learned from my fight, continue developing with my coaches, and get in as many sparring sessions across the water as I can.”
With his debut now behind him and valuable experience gained, the Dunoon youngster looks set to continue his progress with the local club in the months ahead.
