ST Ives Boxing Club’s Bradley Smith got his season off to a winning start when he beat Charlie Boom of Chalvedon ABC in Bury St Edmunds on Saturday.

“Smith was at his very best against the aggressive challenge from Boom,” said his coach Steve Whitwell. “He counter punched with precision on the back foot and met Boom with a stiff jab every time he attacked.”

As the 14-year-old St Ives fighter gained confidence, he started to put combinations together and used some fantastic footwork to get him in and then out of trouble.

Smith finished the bout landing punches with ease as Boom tired and at the final bell the St Ives Club fighter was announced the unanimous winner.

“This was probably one of Smith’s best performances to date,” said Whitwell. “He is on a good unbeaten streak which will take a very good boxer to stop.”

Meanwhile, Whitwell is also working with Norwich boxer Liam Walsh who will fight Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight world title on December 15.

Walsh is one of the three Walsh brothers who train in Norwich, and Whitwell, who holds a pro trainers license, is excited by the challenge of preparing the current Commonwealth champion for his big bout.

“This is a great opportunity for myself to work on preparing a boxer for a world title challenge. As a coach it is a bit of a dream come true,” he told The Hunts Post.

“Liam is a heavy underdog and we have a big task to get him in the best shape possible to challenge the lightweight champion.

“I work technical pads with all the brothers and take them track conditioning every week. It is a big contrast from how the amateur club runs but as a pro-am gym it works very well.”

Whitwell is hoping that all three Walsh brothers will be his special guests at the St Ives club’s first show of the season on November 24.