Stemp aims to be a big hit

Published on Friday 7 March 2008 09:31

THE army are on the march tonight at Aberdeen's Treetops Hotel when serving soldier Gareth Stemp heads up a contingent from southern climes in the Scottish Senior championship semi-finals.

Sparta's Eastern District bantamweight champion Stemp takes on Glasgow Dennistoun's John Thomson and his coach Mark Geraghty is confident his fighter will reach the final.

"Gareth is razor-sharp after some great sparring and he is fired up for the finals,'' he said.

Glenrothes Eastern lightheavyweight champion Tom Carter is another boxer to look out for. Currently studying anaesthetics as part of his fifth-year medical course at St Andrews University, he requires no instruction in anaesthetising ring opponents thanks to his destructive left hook and right cross.

The man known as the "Blond Bomber" takes on Dunfermline's Kevin McCallum.

Carter's ring coach, Steve McGuire, commented: "Tom Carter has a puncher's chance against anybody. That's why if, as I expect, he beats McCallum tonight in Aberdeen we will put him in with Calum Johnston the reigning Scottish champion, who has a bye into the final (in Lasswade later this month]."

&#149 SPARTA lightweight Brian Lacey has been given a tough draw in the Scottish junior championships 60kg final at Airdrie Town Hall on March 23 where he will face Glasgow's Ryan Smith, a Cuban-trained multi-champion.