WYE Amateur Boxing Club’s sell-out Christmas dinner show in Hereford was a real knockout – as the unlucky Harry Youll discovered on Saturday night.

The Tupsley lad looked very impressive in his maiden fight and was comfortably outscoring his Bridgend opponent Danny Lavis with the final bell approaching.

However, the Welshman unleashed a devastating lefthook which caught Youll on the side of the head and sent him crashing to the canvas.

Youll was stunned by the blow and treated in the ring for a couple of minutes before walking back to the dressing rooms.

“I know there was a stoppage which is always a concern,” said Wye ABC secretary Vince McNally after the show.

“But the doctors and the paramedics reacted to it straight away – safety is a main concern when we conduct any of these competitive bouts. The lad wishes he had done better. Harry’s learnt from it and he will come back stronger. He was ahead by miles and was boxing very impressively when he was stopped.”

Youll looks a very good prospect and Lavis picked up the ‘Boxer of the night’ award for the fight – the only one which did not go the distance.

The 374-strong audience at the Royal National College’s thePoint4 sports hall were treated to a sit-down meal, singer Ellice Chidlow, who reached this year’s boot camp in X Factor and eight fights consisting of three two-minute rounds.

Ring girls Emma Hayes, the former Bishop’s pupil, and Sophie Hodgkiss, were greeted with approval each time they stepped through the ropes.

All but one fight featured a Hereford boxer and Chris Reidy was Wye’s sole winner.

Reidy boxed skilfully and sensibly – using his reach advantage to outscore Sydenham’s Gregory Chapman in the second fight on the card.

The former St Mary’s School pupil produced two sets of good combinations in the second round and deservedly won the fight with a unanimous decision.

The popular Dean Evans had strong support from the vocal Hereford crowd who enjoyed his all-action fight against Baker Street’s Michael Biggs.

Evans is one of Wye’s most experienced boxers and he gave a good account of himself against Biggs, who won a majority decision in the best fight of the night.

Wye’s Dan Barker opened strongly against Swindon Boxing Academy’s Carl Maisey and inflicted a series of blows which gave the Wiltshire lad a standing eight-count.

However, Maisey landed a fierce blow just before the second- round bell and the Swindon man eventually secured a unanimous decision.

Wye’s female prospect Sarah Whistance showed her growing maturity before going down to a unanimous decision against Lydney’s Indrakova in the women’s contest.

A boxer-short clad Jeremy Wheadon, the former Luctonians and Hereford rugby player, was the surprise ring man for the contest.

Wye’s giant heavyweight, Big Josh Mitchell, rounded off the action but he was disqualified for persistently holding Mountain Ash’s Dorian Darch.

Wye debutant Kristian Smart was outpointed in an actionpacked fight against Tenbury’s Richie ‘Hurricane’ Poole.

It was both men’s maiden fight and they treated the crowd to an excellent contest.

Another fighter from Tenbury, Eddie ‘Boom Boom’ Kelly, had opened the evening against Birmingham Irish’s Ryan Hatton, who claimed a unanimous verdict.

Secretary McNally was delighted with the evening’s entertainment.

“The standard of boxing was first class and I think everyone enjoyed themselves,”

he said.

“I am proud of all the Wye lads who competed and the boxers who came from away. The guys will go at it for three rounds and then shake hands afterwards.

“Amateur boxing is a fantastic sport – and there is always respect between opponents.

We’re a community club and open for anyone to come down.”

He added: “The signing from Ellice Chidlow was great, the food was lovely and the venue was fantastic.”