Leigh Park ABC head coach Billy Bessey fears lockdown restrictions could tempt boxing youngsters to ‘the dark side’

And the former ABA heavyweight champion is fearful a number of promising prospects could be tempted to the 'dark side' the longer life without shows and sparring continues.

Boxing has long provided a pathway away from crime or drugs, instead offering a way for participants to harness anger as well as other issues, at clubs across the country.

Yet, despite the brilliant work the sport has done and continues to do for youths and adults, it was left off the list of those receiving funding from the government as part of the £300m Winter Survival Package announced in November.

While ice hockey, badminton and netball all received the promise of financial aid, boxing was completely excluded.

It was a Bessey viewed as a major 'kick in the teeth' for hard-up clubs fighting to survive amid the pandemic.

Added to the fact gyms have been unable to allow sparring or pad work since the outbreak last March, and Bessey has major concerns over where some boxers might end up as they become disillusioned by the current restrictions.

It's a situation that has left him fearing for how grassroots boxing could look further down the line.

Bessey said: ‘It’s quite sad really (that no funding was made available)

‘There is a big fear of it (clubs folding).

'But the funding was a massive kick in the teeth.

‘If they left everyone off then ... it’s not fair enough, but it sort of is.

‘To give badminton and ice hockey money and our club has to fend for itself - it’s ridiculous.

‘It’s the same with any sport, you need to keep people enthused by doing it, rather than going on the computer or doing different things.

'With this sort of lapse in training and excitement there are going to be so many going over to the dark side that it could well ruin it for good - the whole sport.

‘It’s quite frightening really.

‘People could fall into the bad things and will you then get the next generation coming through?

‘Success breeds success and if there’s nothing around and no-one - we’ve had my brother (Chris Bessey) to look up to around here and Tony Oakey - people want to be like them.

‘But then when you skip a generation there’s no-one that they want to be like.

‘It’s then them getting into bad ways. It’s very concerning.'

Bessey took over at the club where it all began for him as a 10-year-old a little more than a year ago.

Initially, the picture was incredibly bright with the number of club coaches increased to 10 and around 30 members bringing the buzz back to the Leigh Park Community Centre.

However, as with every other sport, the shutters were brought down in March amid the pandemic.

Bessey was able to reopen the doors in the summer but in a stop-start manner with the month-long national lockdown shutting the club down in November and early December.

Meanwhile, the gym is currently closed with Hampshire placed in tier four of coronavirus restrictions.

Though Bessey has managed to keep members on board, concerns remain some could move on in the near future.

‘We’ve managed to keep them together (our members),' he added.

‘We try to keep their minds and chins up, but can you blame them when nothing is going on and nothing is going to go on for a long time?

‘Forget about boxing, there’s nothing to look forward to in life in general. You go to work and then you come home.

‘If you come home and then you’re bored then I can’t really blame them for doing some things.

‘It’s a slippery slope.

‘We’re lucky in the fact they’ve all sort of kept with us and lots of them haven’t drifted away like they have at some other clubs.

‘I have noticed that they’ve all put on about a stone in weight!

‘In the first five months of taking over the club we had three home shows. The whole gym was buzzing.

‘Leigh Park probably hadn’t had three home shows in three years before that.'

Bessey and his coaching team have improvised sessions in a bid to keep youngsters entertained and enthusiasm high.

They have been on runs around Leigh Park gardens, recording individual times in an attempt to post improved results.

But Bessey is just hoping things can go back to normal at some stage this year.

'We’re lucky that we’ve got three rooms in our gym so we’ve got plenty of room to social distance,' he added.

‘We’ve been doing lots of mud runs and things like that. One of the coaches has been taking the lads out around Leigh Park gardens, having a laugh and getting fit that way.

‘People have been posting their circuits, trying to beat their running times.

‘It’s all about trying to make it a bit of fun and give them goals still.

‘If they think about it and they’re not going to be boxing for a year, what’s it worth them training for?

‘We’re doing a boxer of the month award to give them something to aspire to.'