Salopian Boxing Club get their own digs

The Shrewsbury fight factory has upped sticks and moved into a bigger industrial unit - their own premises - on the Monkmoor Trading Estate.

They had been sharing with a martial arts club since starting out last year, but they now call the shots and plan to get the most out of their training centre.

Head trainer Rob O'Keefe said: "It's great to have our own home, even if it's only 300 yards from the old one! We were just renting from someone and now we have our own full-time gym.

"It gives the boxers the opportunity to train five and six times a week now, which will only make them better. We can spread the sessions out more for them.

"If we want to take the club forward, this is what we need to do. The new site is twice the size."

Salopian are gearing up for their club show on October 24, at the Buttermarket in Shrewsbury. They will also travel across the English channel next month, when they take members to compete on a bill in Guernsey.

But their fighters won't be involved in the forthcoming England Boxing Development competition, where novices will fight without head-guards for the first time under new rules.

They are instead preparing for the female national tournaments, where champions will be decided before Christmas, and Rob's daughter Brydie will be hoping to go one better.

She turned 14 this week, having lost in the final of the ABA Schoolgirls competition last year. Older sister Georgia, 17, is getting herself ready for her debut.

Dad Rob said: "We won't be a part of the Development competition as our novices are very much that, with one bout or none at all. They need much more experience.

"I am not too sure about the head-guard issue. I didn't like using them, personally, but it could cause problems. You need to give cuts time to heal and national tournaments go round to round each week.

"We have a thriving girls section at our club, so we are waiting for the female competitions later in the year. We are all geared up for that to come around."