Time to look at the local boxing scene now and a chat with Joe Dryden, a successful boxer and coach with the Workington Town Boys and Girls Club.
So how has boxing changed over the years, particularly at the Workington club which is also different to how it was first used.
Nice to have you with us Joe, can you start by telling us about how you got into boxing and who was really responsible for getting you started in the noble art?
At around eight years old I went down to the Workington Town Boys Club at Bolton St, Workington, and became interested in boxing. After a couple of years I stopped going down, for one reason or another, and that was that.
Shortly afterwards, Joe Stewart who was one of the coaches at the Club came knocking at the house asking when I would be coming back.
Thankfully he wasn’t taking no for an answer, so off I went and never looked back.
Once I settled back in, coaches Norman Edgar and John Harrison took me under their wing and really encouraged me to develop further in the sport.
What about your boxing career. How many fights, any titles, and any memories of your time in the ring?
I had around 58 recorded amateur bouts, and a further dozen or so exhibition bouts. During this time I won the North West Regional Championships eight times.
I can still remember the feeling of having my arm raised by the referee in victory and the feeling of elation that it brought.
I had many proud moments, such as boxing in Ireland as part of the English select team. My opponent was Kieran Joyce who was in the top five amateur world rankings at that point. After a close fight I beat him on points.
I also recorded a win against Rotunda boxer Terry Riley, who at the time was the national championship title holder.
Workington Town Boys always had a name for producing boxers, what was the club like then and how much has it changed over the years?
The club was a great place to be as it not only offered boxing opportunities but also had a thriving youth club.
Once the boxing session was over you could hang around and get involved in other activities. It kept kids off the streets and gave us a social scene.
The club has changed now in that we only offer boxing, however the ethos is still the same in that we’re giving kids the chance to get involved and be part of something.
Do you find there’s still plenty of interest among youngsters on starting to box and what sort of youth policy and coaching do you have at the club?
The fact that there are more boxing clubs in the area that ever before is testament to the ongoing popularity of amateur boxing. We take members from six years up, with competitive boxing from 10 years of age. There is no upper age limit for members, however you can’t compete beyond 40 years of age.
In terms of coaching we’re always looking to recruit new coaches, especially females.
We offer full England boxing training, which the club will pay for. Personally speaking, I can honestly say that boxing coaching has had a massively positive effect on my life and specifically my mental health. I can’t recommend it enough.
What about tournaments? Do you go around the country with individual club boxers and how far afield do you go?
The last couple of years has been really busy for us getting our boxers out on the road. It really is an essential part of developing the boxers, and we’ve been lucky to have a dedicated team of coaches and volunteers who make this happen.
We’ve travelled all over the North East and West from Buxton to Blyth and beyond.
Tell us about some of the best boxers who have represented the club and what about the current crop. Who have you high hopes for?
The Club has produced a number of talented boxers over the years.
I’ll (modestly!) include myself as one of those but would also include Martin Sewell, who boxed at National Championship level, plus Darren Askew and Josh Baillie who both turned professional of the back of their Workington ABC amateur careers.
Carl Fearon was another great lad who had an impressive seven out of seven unbeaten record on his card and showed great potential.
Today we have a new breed of talent who are working hard and improving all the time. Alfie Govans, Elliot Murray, Leon Emerson and Cayden Shepherd are all showing great potential.
Both codes of rugby and football have had serious issues with head injuries/concussions. What precautions are taken in amateur boxing to make it safe?
Amateur boxing today is a heavily regulated sport. Headguards are a mandatory requirement for junior level, however the debate as to whether they are a force for good or bad at senior level is ongoing.
The argument against wearing them is that they increase the target area resulting in additional blows to the head. As a Club we would always insist on headgear during sparring activities.
Additional safeguards are strict rules on matching boxers within specific age and weight ranges, plus the number of previous bouts to ensure fair matches.
All competitive bouts are overseen by a qualified doctor who monitors the welfare of the boxers.
Tell us about training at the club. How many times can members train and spar during the week and how much it costs to join?
The club has open junior sessions on Tuesdays and Thursday from 6-7pm. These are suited to younger kids or those who don’t want to compete.
We also have carded/development sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, also 6-7pm.
Session fees are £2 for juniors and £3 for seniors. We also offer monthly members at £12.50 juniors and £19.00 seniors. Discounts can be offered for anyone facing financial hardship of any kind.
My usual question to finish with Joe. If a generous benefactor left Workington Town Boys and Girls Boxing Club a shed load of money how would you spend it?
Without doubt, we would build a new gym. Our current building is quite small and we could really do with somewhere bigger. The dream is to have a modern gym with plenty of space to rotate activities and get more kids through the doors.
I’d love it if the Club could get back to having a combined Boxing and youth centre. There’s so much more we could offer if only we had the resources to do it.
