History of Corby Olympic ABC
Northamptonshire – England
Corby Olympic Amateur Boxing Club started in 1967 by William Smart, Melvin Hill, Jim McNeil & Alec Jackson, they joined Sammy Rodgers in 1970 when they moved into the Saxilby Centre.
Boxing only took place 1 night a week as it is more a youth club facility.
Past champions:-
Billy Smart & Archie Walker won Junior ABA schoolboy finalists. Both turned pro in 1973.
Billy became Southern Area Featherweight champion, after which he was rated in the top 5 in Europe. He then boxed for the Featherweight Champion.
In 1977 Sammy took over the running of the club to which he had a very successful few years to follow him.
In 1977 Billy and sister Julie joined the club. In 1998 Richard Smart (Julie’s son), Mark McKay won the 3 Shires, Northern Zone Championships, Richard also boxed in the schoolboy semis. Steven Wright has his 1st sportsman of the year. 2003 Richard & Kelvin Gormley won Sports Awards, Richard became Midlands Champion, Schoolboy Finalist & Silver in 4 nations. Darren Marshall became finalist in Senior Novices. 2004 Mark Jones joined the club as Billy was leaving. 2005 Alex Ross won Golden Gloves & Martin Drummond won Midlands Golden Belt.
Our club boasts a 5K gym upstairs and a new ring is on its way soon. Micky Cantwell British Flyweight Champion recently visited the club, he was so impressed by the premises and facilities that he now boasts about it to other clubs, which is a great morale boost he also attended our last Dinner & Boxing Evening as a special guest to which it was an honour. The club is in line with the regeneration area of Corby but Corby Borough Council’s Chief Executive has promised us “Like For Like, If Not Better”, which is fantastic news for us all.
Rising Star
Steven Wright a Corby lad through and through won the Midlands NABC’s in 2002. In 2006 he re-joined us after a spell at another club but says he always belonged to Corby Olympic Amateur Boxing Club. A builder by trade he runs 5 miles a day, he has ambitions to win the Senior ABA’s which he enters next season.
As a youth Steven had a very successful record having had:
26 bouts 17 wins
Steven is extremely dedicated, committed, skilful and a hard hitter, he has a very supportive family who attend all of his bouts.
His hero is Ricky Hatton
Steven says “My ambition is to achieve as much as he has”.
Coach Mark Jones says “I wish all our members trained like Steven, then I’d have a gym full of champions”.
Mary Drummond
Secretary – 01536 460594