Sport

Watch: Army Win Inter-Services Boxing Title

The Army has retained the Inter-Services boxing team title.

They had won the title in Aldershot before a punch was thrown because the Navy and RAF were unable to field enough boxers across the weight categories.

Despite that, there was plenty of high-quality boxing on offer in Aldershot with four excellent individual title bouts going ahead at the Aldershot Army Boxing centre.

At bantamweight, defending champion the RAF's top boxer of the moment Rikki Lyon was up against James Allen, who was taking to the ring for the 91st time.

Allen came in as a late replacement for Kyle Morrison and despite Lyon being in no mood to surrender the crown, an aggressive third and final round helped Allen win a unanimous decision.

In a much anticipated light welterweight contest the Army's Ollie Knight took on Luke Fisher, one Navy's most promising boxers for years.

It proved as good a fight as everyone expected with very little between the fighters. Knight's deductions for constant infringements may have been the difference in the bout as Fisher, the Navy's young Sportsman of the Year took a unanimous decision.

At middleweight, the Army's John Marvin and Marley Abadom of 40 Commando, Royal Marines, lived up to their fearsome reputations.

In the best bout of the night, Marvin nearly floored his opponent twice. Abadom had to take three standing counts.

Despite that Abadom refused to yield and pressured Marvin to the end. That won him most gallant boxer but not the fight. 1PWRR's Marvin took the title and the best boxer of the night award.

At light heavyweight, Chrissy Nealon of the Army faced George Crotty of 45 Commando. After a tentative start, which resembled a sparring contest, the fight came to life.

Crotty, in his 76th fight, beat Nealon, in his 36th, on a split decision.

The Army took the title for the 32nd year and for Shamim Khan, Ryan Fillingham, Connor Vian, Natty Ngwenya and Chez Nihell there were titles but no ring appearances.

Also on the night, a women's elite English welterweight bout was taken by the Army's Steph Wroe. She beat late replacement Jem Campbell of Luton ABC on a unanimous decision.