HMS Sultan boxing show is a hit as it makes a return

The HMS Sultan boxing dinner made a comeback since the pandemic, and it was a huge hit.

The event welcomed boxers from His Majesty’s Ships Sultan, Collingwood, Heron and the Royal Navy Boxing Association appear alongside local fighters from Titchfield, Gosport and Southampton.

The dinner was a hit, but the fight itself was the main event which stole the show as AB Thomson from HMS Collingwood, and ETME Harvey from HMS Sultan, exchanged punches as they fought for the reigning title. ETME Harvey was crowned the winner after a close call between the two, and he was named Best Boxer of the night.

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Presentations were made to winning fighters by VIPs including the Commanding Officer, HMS Sultan, Captain Jo Deakin OBE, Commanding Officer, HMS Collingwood, Captain Tim Davey and by local dignitaries and Defence industry representatives, including the Mayor of Fareham, councillor Mike Ford.

Sultan Boxing Show Promoter, Leading Physical Training Instructor El-Leigh Neale, said: ‘It was great to see the HMS Sultan Boxing Dinner Show return after three years out. It’s always a fantastic advert for Royal Navy boxing and this year certainly didn’t disappoint.

‘For several of our fighters it was the first time they’d appeared in the ring competitively, but it was great to see the way they stepped up to the challenge. Hopefully this will be the platform for many of them to pursue the sport further, with the long-term goal of representing the full Royal Navy boxing squad.’