Falmouth and Penryn Amateur Boxing Club’s Kaidan Symons won his bout in the 81-86kg category by a unanimous decision earning a gold medal at the Riviera Boxcup on Saturday August 14.

The event was held over two days at the Acorn Youth Community and Sports Complex in Torquay and attracted boxers from over 100 clubs, with attendees travelling as far as Wales and Scotland taking part.

Over 50 bouts took place on each of the two days and medals were won in all weight categories for juniors and seniors.

The event was the first of its kind to take place in the UK since the Covid-19 pandemic caused a complete halt of all amateur boxing events in March of last year.

A case of a failed medical caused there to be only two boxers represented in the 81-86kg category meaning that Symons a 2019 Western Counties champion was immediately through to the final of the tournament.

Symons faced T.J Ogbomo from the Jimmy Egan’s boxing academy of Wythenshawe, Manchester, famed for being the club that the current WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury achieved his amateur success with before turning professional.

The first round started cagey with most of the eye-catching action coming from Symons slick defensive skills making Ogbomo miss the target on numerous occasions. The Falmouth fighter used fast footwork and clever head movement to avoid his opponents’ long jabs, countering with his own solid jabs to the body of the taller man from Manchester.

A strong left hook at the end of a three-punch combination caused Ogbomo to hold on to the ropes for a split second as his legs appeared to stiffen just before the end of the first round, although he gritted his teeth and recovered quickly.

Ogbomo started the second at a much faster pace but again it was Symons with the classier boxing, successfully establishing his jabs to the body, slowing the rangier boxer down.

Symons maintained a great job of avoiding and countering attacks, throwing feints, and connecting with solid left and right hooks to the body and head of Ogbomo from close range forcing the Manchester man backward.

The final round started at a blisteringly fast pace with both boxers trading combinations in the centre of the ring, with neither boxer getting the upper hand.

It wasn’t until Symons changed his style and began circling and throwing combinations in bunches that he again took the upper hand, knocking the head of Ogbomo back with sharp straight punches.

The round remained competitive to the final bell, but Symons’s work in the early rounds ensured that he’d done enough to secure the unanimous decision and another significant notch on his already decorated belt.

Falmouth and Penryn ABC coaches Chris Martin, Gilbert Ambrose, and Danny Coles commented how proud they were of Kaidan and all he has achieved since joining the club at age 16.