Freedom ABC to host their first amateur boxing show

The event will take place at the Seacroft Working Men’s Club, with approximately 18 bouts to take place, showcasing some of the best amateur talents from the Seacroft-based gym as well as the surrounding clubs in Leeds.

The Freedom gym was opened by long-time boxing coach Wayne Woods having previously been influential in the running of the Freedom gym in Doncaster alongside current Josh Warrington cornerman Jimmy Harrington.

Seacroft-born Woods is the gym’s head coach, alongside fellow trainer Barry Langton, and he described his delight at being able to exhibit his young talent.

“I’m really excited to be putting on this show. It’s our first home show so all of the lads are excited for it.

“They’ve been training for a while now in preparation for this and on the night it’s about them being able to show what they’ve learned in the gym.

“And, hopefully we can get a few wins under our belt.

“The hardest part is the matchmaking. Double checking the weights of the boxers and making sure that everyone is going to come.

“We’ve been working with other gyms in Leeds and there will be lads from Sharky’s and Gipton ABC, but mainly there will be fighters from Freedom Leeds and Freedom Doncaster.

“They’ll be going up against other boxers from around Yorkshire and from Durham too.”

One of the prospects competing on the card is Ellis Ward, who also competes at the gym of award-winning trainer Joe Gallagher in Manchester.

Despite still being an amateur, Ward has taken on some of Yorkshire’s best fighters including world champion Josh Warrington in sparring.

“Our fighters go around gyms with professionals too,” explained Woods. “We’re not just working with amateurs.

“Ellis, has sparred the likes of Warrington, Tyrone Nurse, Reece Mould, Cam Shaw and Zahid Hussain.

“Our lads aren’t just mixing it with the amateurs, they’re looking to go into the professionals and hopefully get careers out of boxing.”

While the ambition of any amateur club is to win as many bouts as possible, Woods was keen to stress the gym’s ultimate ambition of helping positively shape the lives of their young fighters outside the ring too.

“We’re looking to take kids off the streets and give them a better life, especially those from Seacroft,” Woods said.

“We try and do what is best for our boxers. We want them to get their GCSE’s, to help them get into college and to get into apprenticeships.

“Obviously, we are looking to win fights. But, it’s not just about that, it’s about the bigger picture.

“We want to teach our kids life skills and get them well on their way into having careers into whatever they’d like to do, whether that’s boxing or not.”

The doors for the show open at 7pm on Friday, with boxing commencing at 8pm.

For ticket information, contact Wayne Woods on 07525 839671.