Inverness City Boxing Club proud of Odivelas Box Cup medal haul
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All three of Inverness City Boxing Club’s athletes at the Odivelas Box Cup in Portugal came home with medals.
Adian Williamson was the top performer, winning gold in the junior elite division, while George Stewart and Calum Turnbull both had to settle for bronze.
Alness teenager Williamson won through a quarter final, semi final and final, each time by unanimous decision, finally defeating Italian boxer Federico Lucchesi.
For Inverness City coach Laurie Redfern, it was a showing that proved he is one to keep an eye on.
“Adian is showing a lot of promise, he’s coming on all the time,” Redfern insisted.
“That was his 21st contest in the final since he started his boxing with me, and he has only lost three times.
“He is still only a junior, so we’re looking for big things in the future from Adian.
“I’m really pleased with him, he was a wee star.”
Stewart and Turnbull both ended up on the wrong ends of decisions – two calls from the judges that Redfern disagreed with.
Turnbull was making his return to competitive action after spending time out injured with a broken wrist. He was due to compete in Cyprus two months ago only for his opponent to pull out.
His first bout back was a successful one, winning against an Italian boxer in the quarter final.
But an unfortunate collision in his semi final ended up closing out his Box Cup early.
“There wasn’t a lot in it, then there was a clash of heads,” Redfern remembered.
“His opponent had got a cut in his hairline, blood trickling down his face. In amateur boxing they’re pretty strict – the doctor looked at them and said the boy couldn’t carry on with the cut, so we went back to the scorecards.
“We were halfway through the second round, and for me Calum won the first, so how they decided the other boy won I haven’t got a clue.”
Stewart got knocked out by the eventual winner, Englishman Billy Adams, but put up a strong showing in a back and forth contest.
“In the last round I thought we had done enough, and it went the other way,” Redfern said.
“Adams is an English international, and he won the European Championships. He’s a top class boxer.
“I said to George if we win this last round, we’ll win it, and for me he did.”
