DEVIZES ABC chairman and head coach Paul Wilkins saw his club’s final show of the season go off without a hitch despite a number of last-minute drop-outs .

The club held a dinner show at their Nursteed Road base on Saturday night, with guests of honour Chris Sanigar and former heavyweight pro Dermot Gascoyne receiving lifetime membership awards.

Devizes’ Harry Edwards kicked off the night by claiming his first-ever win with victory over Frome ABC’s Luke Bradley.

Fellow home fighter Jack Fisher took on Lympstone ABC’s Jared Jones and sent the home crowd into raptures midway through the second round by knocking his opponent out with a powerful right hook.

Fisher was subsequently presented the fighter of the night award by promoter and former pro Sanigar.

Junior Western Counties champion Ashley Wilkins lost out on a close points decision to Small Heath ABC’s Azhar Khan, who stepped in after his bout for England was cancelled. Fellow Devizes youngster Jamie Cooper was stopped by Frome’s Will Holt.

Home fighter James Last took on Jason Manners, from the Swindon Academy of Boxing, but was bested on a majority points decision while England select fighter Chris Godwin was beaten by Downend ABC’s Danny Milner.

“We had so many boxers pull out and some were doing it less than eight hours before the show, but there’s nothing you can do about that sometimes,” said chairman Wilkins.

“We still managed to get some very good fights on and the help we got from Frome was really important.

“Some of our lads were probably a bit tired because it was our final show but I’d still say that they boxed well and made it a great evening.

“We sold 15 tables and the response from people wanting to sponsor fights and get involved was brilliant.

“The atmosphere was electrifying and the club has gone from strength to strength this season – all the boxers gave their hearts and souls”

Ashley Wilkins was also handed the runner-up of the evening award by Gascoyne after his narrow defeat to Khan.