Boxing: Simmons not down after heavy defeat

Published on Wednesday 9 September 2009 09:46

BRITISH boxing team coach Kelvyn Travis praised Edinburgh heavyweight Steve Simmons despite the Leith Victoria man's 11-1 World Amateur Championship quarter-final defeat to Ukrainian Aleksander Usyk in Milan.

Travis said: "The scoreline gives a misleading impression of how Simmons fought against a fast, tricky, southpaw.

"Despite taking one standing count early on, Simmons was never in serious trouble.

"But, that said, Usyk displayed blistering speed and threw classy combination punches that never really let Simmons settle down to use his own array of punches.

"Usyk was rated number two heavyweight in the world so to go the distance with him was an achievement and a valuable learning experience for Simmons, who still has bags of potential at world level.

"Steve is by no means the finished article but we will work together to improve those areas of his style that need improved."

Scottish champion Simmons added: "Usyk was an incredibly fast southpaw who prevented me from getting into my own rhythm, so there was no disgrace in losing, but it let me see how far I still have to work on improving my ring technique."

&#149 THREE South Queensferry club boxers will kick off the club's new season by making the long trek to Stranraer next week to compete in a Millennium boxing club show.

South Queensferry coach Mark Geraghty said: "Our Scottish lightweight internationalist Lewis Benson will clash with Airdrie Four Isles club's Scottish champion, Barry Craig. Light-welterweight Chris McHale and light-flyweight Liam Tervit will also box at the Stranraer show against selected opponents."