Youngster Taylor takes the top honour as Merlins Bridge ABC put on a brilliant boxing night

 
It's become the show that keeps on giving, writes Fraser Watson.
 
Around 1,000 people piled into The Pavilion building in Withybush on Saturday night for the annual Merlins Bridge Amateur Boxing Club home show. And the audience were treated to another evening to remember, with 15 bouts taking place amid huge crowd noise. The event was presented by Toby Ellis, with Pure West Radio also providing the music between bouts and the walk-in songs for the fighters, while two big screens allowed spectators to see everything unfold, both in the ring and via live stream.
 
And there was a special moment during the interval for Merlins Bridge head coach Graham Brockway and his wife Gill, with the pair presented with a special award to commemorate their 35 years of service to the club. And for Brockway and his coaches, they could later reflect on an evening where home fighters won eight of the 14 bouts they were involved in, with one 'neutral' affair taking place between two boxers from away clubs.
 
 
Results (home fighters listed first):
 
Louie Taylor beat Harry Goodall (Llanishen ABC) via unanimous decision
The evening got off to a thunderous start as junior boxers Taylor and Goodall both came out of the blocks fast. Taylor began by landing three clean blows but Goodall then found his range, with the pair showing impressive speed during their exchanges. In the end it was Taylor who finished the stronger, doing the cleaner work in the third round and taking the verdict on all three of the judges' scorecards.
Taylor would later go on to receive the Fighter of the Night award, underlining his potential.
 
 
Alfie O'Sullivan lost to Alex Darby (St Clears ABC) via a split decision
Just five weeks after Darby won their first bout in close fashion, the two youngsters put on another enthralling three rounds. Darby, trained by former Goodwick footballer Rob Couzens, appeared in command during the first but O'Sullivan responded, and managed to evade his opponent while landing some telling counter shots. There was little to choose between the two at the final bell, with the respect between them both evident as they embraced at the finish before Darby was awarded a split verdict.
 
 
Riley Edwards beat Shay Vaughan (Gwent Boxing Club) via a split decision
Another junior bout that had the judges torn as Edwards started the better, landing the cleaner shots in the opening two rounds. But Vaughan responded, and Edwards had to hold him off as he attacked in the final round before being declared the winner.
 
Maddie Guy beat Skye Houlihan (Ware-house ABC) via unanimous decision
The only female bout of the evening saw Guy win on her home show for the second consecutive year. Both fighters looked to land big shots in the first, but it was the Merlins Bridge fighter doing the greater damage as she twice managed to pin Houlihan down in the corner. The latter did receive a warning for holding by the referee but Guy kept her composure to deservedly take the decision.
 
 
Jayden Benbow lost to Zac Robinson (Prizefighter Gym) via unanimous decision
This bout belonged to Robinson whose movement proved too much for Benbow, despite the home fighter doing his best to turn the tide in the latter two rounds. The Prizefighter youngster was given the nod by all three judges.
 
 
Osian Warden lost to Garreg Poole (Maerdy Boxing Club) via unanimous decision
The impressive Poole put on one of the performances of the evening, showing lightning speed and footwork and landing a series of hard body shots. Warden wasn't able to respond in kind, and there few surprises at the eventual decision.
 
 
Harley Whelton lost to Lewis Handford (Prizefighter Gym) via unanimous decision
Whelton got off to a good start as he landed a strong left hook, but Handford wasn't rocked and gradually took control. He was able to land the better shots while showing a strong defence as Whelton tried to respond, and duly made it two wins from two for the Prizefighter club.
 
 
Alex O'Sullivan beat Aaron Jones (Premier Boxing Club) via unanimous decision
Initially supposed to headline the event, this clash was moved forward given the distance Jones had to travel home and it made for a superb start to the second half of the show. The Premier Boxing Club man, a former British schoolboy champion, was returning to the ring after a break from fighting to face newly crowned Welsh champion O'Sullivan.
 
The home fighter was inferior in weight but superior with his hand speed and movement, never allowing Jones to settle or mount sustained offence. After three high-quality rounds, it was O'Sullivan who deservedly had his hand raised.