TORBAY Amateur Boxing Club's next show on April 30 is likely to feature a South Devon Select against a team from prominent London club, Bodyshots ABC.

And that means a rare opportunity for Apollo (Torquay), Paignton and Kingsteignton & Newton Abbot ABC's to join with Torbay in putting names forward for match-maker Dave Stacey to draw up a list of the area's leading junior and senior boxers.

As previously reported in the Herald Express, Torbay ABC are already excited at the prospect of returning to their spiritual home at Torquay's International Riviera Centre having experimented but lost money on the last two shows at Play and Valbonne night clubs.

However, this is an unexpected bonus after Bodyshots initially sounded out Apollo with the idea of bringing a team to Torbay before the end of the amateur season while meeting all their own expenses.

Apollo were unable to come up with a venue having already mapped in the Barcelo Imperial Hotel for their next annual show in December.

Nevertheless, matchmaker Nick Kendall was anxious that some of his club's young talent didn't miss out, so put the offer from Bodyshots and former Samuel Montague (London) ABC head coach Mick Gregory to Torbay.

"Mick has been a friend of Apollo's over a number of years when he used to bring teams down from the Samuel Montague club for sparring," said Kendall.

"He also has links here and was looking to bring some more of his boys for a holiday weekend, suggesting we might raise a team to box against them.

"Unfortunately there wasn't enough time for us (Apollo) to set things in motion, but we knew of Torbay's show at the end of next month and suggested they might consider Mick's offer.

"I'm prepared to share the match-making with Dave (Stacey), and have already drawn up a list of boxers from Paignton and Apollo, plus I'll also be asking Kingsteignton and Newton Abbot if they've anyone available."

One of the junior bouts already being lined-up could see Apollo's Western Counties Schoolboys' champion Nathan Mackin facing last year's European silver medallist and this year's English Schoolboys' champion at 50-kilos, Archie Sharpe.

Commented Torbay ABC secretary, Nigel Western:

"We're all for a South Devon Select to box on our show, but we're waiting on a list back from Bodyshots before we can make any matchings.

"It will be a change to get all the clubs in the area together, not to mention the extra support it would generate from around the Bay."

TORBAY had two wins out of two on an eight-bout Poole ABC show in front of a packed 800 crowd at Poole Pavilion last week.

Gary Corbett, 14, beat the host club's Jim Phillips on points in a 58-kilo contest for his second successive victory having lost on his previous six appearances.

And Joe Preece, also 14, out-pointed David Heckford (Poole ABC) for his fifth win in eight starts at 63-kilos.

Commented Torbay matchmaker Dave Stacey:

"Corbett is learning that fitness pays. It cost him decisions in his first four bouts, but now he's won both since his fitness improved.

"Preece is improving all the time, and it was a good win since Heckford had had 13 contests compared to his seven. We're trying to set up a return on our show on April 13 if there's room on the programme."