ST Joseph’s Boxing Club in Newport has entered no less than eight boxers into this season’s Senior Novice Welsh Championships.

In preparation for this tournament the eight relatively inexperienced boxers have been training alongside some of Wales’s more elite performers namely, Fred Evans, Jason Evans, and Sean McGoldrick. All three of them have been selected to box for Wales v the USA on the 23rd and 30th of October.

The USA always prove to be formidable opponents but the St. Josephs boxers are extremely confident as preparation has been excellent.

As part of the novice preparation all of the entrants have undergone a stringent medical examination.

This has been carried out by Gwent’s leading consultant surgeon Ken Shute, who has been connected with the club for more years than he cares to remember.

He said: “Their levels of fitness must be extreme; when competing they are often working to their opponents’ agenda and any weakness or lack of fitness will have disastrous consequences. Obviously clinical assessment is imperative to rule out any unrecognised medical problems”

Coach Bill Reynolds said, “Irrespective of how much time and effort the lads put in they would simply not be able to compete without undergoing a medical examination and we are eternally grateful to Dr. Shute particularly as his expert services are always in demand.”

The first round of the tournament begins on the Saturday October 24 in Swansea.

Full team: Byron James, Ben Buckley, Ricardo Oliver, Ross Shergold, James Pratt, Jamie Davies, Paul Young.

l Meanwhile, the jewel in the crown of the St Josephs gym, lightweight Gary Buckland, will return to action on November 14 on another Hatton Promotions card.

Buckland was the headline act when Hatton Promotions made their debut at Newport Centre in July, beating Harry Castle in a thrilling British title eliminator. Now Buckland will travel to Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Stoke, for his next fight against Latvian Istvan Nagy. It’s a high profile opportunity for Buckland on a bill headlined by Ricky’s brother Matthew Hatton.