Rutherglen boxing coach Archie Durie has a busy six weeks ahead of him – with his first show in over two years lined up and two of his fighters involved in the Scottish Intermediate Championships.
Archie, head coach at Durie’s Boxing Gym, is putting on the show at the Kings Park Hotel, Rutherglen, on Friday, October 22, and is busy drawing up 15 matches that will take place on the evening.
The weekend before that sees the Scottish Intermediate Championships take place at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell, on October 16 and 17.
Durie has youngsters Kyle McNeil from Castlemilk and Lewis Connelly from East Kilbride taking part in that, and says the whole club is buzzing for both events.
He said: “I’ve got my first show in over two years.
“Everything’s booked and I’m actually matching just now.
“I’ve got Kyle McNeil and Lewis Connelly lined up and both of them are fighting the week before in the Scottish Intermediate Championships.
“That’s my first championships, with two boys entered, and that’s between seven bouts and 14 bouts, in intermediate.
“I have a busy six weeks coming up and I want to train these fighters every day.
“Thee place is buzzing, because I’m also going to need to match 15 fights on the show.
“All of my boys are going to be fighting, including the new ones, so there’s a buzz about the place that has been needed for a long, long time.”
Durie has been careful to select the two fighters’ weight category in such a way that they don’t come up against each other at Ravenscraig.
He explained: “Kyle and Lewis have had loads of fights each – Lewis has had maybe 13 fights, Kyle has had 10.
“Kyle has only lost one, Lewis has only lost a couple, and they’re cracking boys.
“Lewis joined me from Jackton Amateur Boxing Club in East Kilbride, and has done really well, even through lockdown.
“I’ve entered Lewis at 64kg, and Kyle at the 60kg level, so they won’t face each other.
“Kyle is a good fighter and Lewis is a changed boy; he’s a lot more aggressive, his style has changed and everything.
“There’s a small possibility that they could possibly fight for a Scottish title at our own home show, and that would be the icing on the cake, but let’s get there first!”
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