BILLERICAY Boxing Club’s show on Saturday night attracted more than 500 spectators, who all got their money’s worth at one of the best shows in the region.

Billericay’s Les Cooke was delighted with both the quality of the bouts and the way the organisation went on the night at the Holiday Inn on the Festival Leisure Park, Basildon.

And he wasn’t the only one.

Cooke said: “We had fighters down from the Phoenix club in Manchester and their coach said to me after the show it was the best organised event they had ever been to.

“It’s comments like that that make it all worthwhile,” added Cooke, who was still on a high after seeing some tremendous bouts.

The best fights on the card, for Cooke, involved local teenagers.

And Cooke singled out 17-year-old Sonny Hovath for praise following the fighter’s battle with Halstead’s Jay Snaith.

Cooke said: “Sonny won it on a unanimous points decision – and it was a really good bout.

“Sonny’s a tidy long-range fighter and he showed plenty of nouse against this lad.

“He definitely deserved to win.”

The biggest noise on the night came as Ollie Hood, 15, did battle against a lad from Manchester.

Cooke said: “There were 200 people on their feet and cheering him on. He was toe to toe against a very strong lad and Ollie’s a popular lad.

“In the end he won it on a split decision, but you’ve got to give the lad from Manchester for making it a great fight to see.”

Other carded bouts which got the crowds going included 13-year-old Wickford fighter Harry Cornwell’s successful battle with a rival from Colchester.

The Colcherster lad came into the ring with an impressive record of wins, including the last two bouts being stopped in his favour.

But this time it was different.

“Harry decimated him,” said Cooke, who added that big-hearted spectators had helped to raise a total of £500, which the club gave to the Indie Smith appeal.

Indie Smith is the two year-old from Chelmsford who has been diagnosed with Atypical Haemolytic-Uraemic Syndrome – an incurable life threatening disorder that is very rare.

FULL PICTURE SPREAD IN WEDNESDAY'S ECHO