‘Great skill and class’ on show as Royal Navy take on the Army at action-packed HMS Sultan Boxing night

HMS Sultan and Collingwood Boxing Club. Picture: Nicola Harper.

A combined Navy team, from HMS Sultan and fellow training establishment HMS Collingwood, took on personnel from the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) from MOD Lyneham.

The event provided a perfect platform for novice boxers to take their first steps into a competitive environment.

Nine bouts were on the card with one all female Navy fight, in addition to the eight Army v Navy bouts, all consisting of three three-minute rounds.

LETME Murray receives his best boxer of the evening award. Pic: Nicola Harper

The fight of the night was the clash between Able Rating Samuel Cole (Collingwood) and Craftsman Thomas Hutchinson (REME).

The top performer award went to Leading Engineering Technician (Marine Engineering) Jake Murray (Sultan) who defeated Lance Corporal Bradley Greenwood (REME).

This was the boxer’s third time success at a HMS Sultan Show, having represented the Establishment in 2016 and 2018.

The Defence College of Technical Training oversees both the Air and Marine Engineering training at Sultan and the training of REME engineers at Lyneham.

ETME Burns (SUL) takes on SPR Lowe (RE). Picture: Nicola Harper.

With the bouts tied at 4-4, it was the Navy team who retained the trophy.

Sultan boxing squad coach, Leading Physical Training Instructor Joel Kirby, said: ‘All the boxers fought with great bravery and, considering it was a first bout for a lot of them, showed a great deal of skill and class.

‘They put all the hard work in during the weeks leading up to the competition and performed well under the pressure of fighting in front of a crowd of over 500.

‘I couldn’t be prouder of our Navy boxers. The preparation for the Show has revealed a lot of talented boxers with huge potential, not limited to those who made it into the ring.’

LETME Murray (SUL), left, is declared the winner following his bout with LCPL Greenwood (RE). Picture: Nicola Harper.

Bout results (winners in bold)

60Kg Female bout - SLt Clare Mawson (SUL) v ET (CIS) Ellie Naylor (CWD)

64Kg ET (ME) Marcus Houston (SUL) v LCpl Jack Lewis (REME)

69Kg LET (CIS) Billy Robbins (CWD) v CFN Asa Huw Eversley-John (REME)

69Kg Mid Thomas De Carvalho Gross (CWD) v Spr James Nelson (REME)

69Kg LET (ME) Jake Murray (SUL) v LCpl Bradley Greenwood (REME)

69Kg LET (CIS) Callum McCall (CWD) v Lt Max Heron (REME)

75Kg ET (ME) Michael Burns (SUL) v Spr Anthony Lowe (REME)

81Kg AB Samuel Cole (CWD) v Cfn Thomas Hutchinson (REME)

91+Kg PO Dave Gibson (SUL) v Spr George Loveridge (REME)