Star duo turn out for Amphion ABC

Amphion Amateur Boxing Club welcomed former British champion Young Mutley and world-ranked fighter Martin Gethin as star guests of their first open day.

West Bromwich's Mutley - real name Lee Woodley - last boxed for a second time in the light welterweight Prizefighter eight months ago and has since turned 36.

Walsall's Gethin is at his peak after claiming the IBF International title in London with a stoppage of Carl Johanesson in the 11th round of their war 11 days ago.

Both were at Darlaston Town Hall on Saturday at the training base of Amphion ABC, which opened last month to become the second amateur gym in the town.

Between them and Darlaston ABC, at Unit B on the Alma Industrial Estate, the townsfolk won't have to look far if they want to become involved in the sport.

Both Mutley and Gethin enjoyed sterling amateur careers with Wednesbury ABC before turning pro and returned to their unpaid roots to promote boxing.

Mutley won the old National Association of Boys Clubs - now Clubs for Young People - championship and is regarded as one of the Black Country's most gifted.

Gethin got to an NABC final and lost to Frankie Gavin in the quarter-finals of the junior ABAs and now operates at his own amateur club, Wildstar ABC in Aldridge.

British and European champion Gavin Rees is the next target for the 28-year-old after a career-best victory against Johanesson propelled him to new heights.

Gethin said: "It was a great win, I have stepped up another level and, hopefully, it's up and up and up for me now.

"Whatever comes up now, I am going to be staying fit and waiting for my next opportunity to come.

"Rees is a bit quicker than Johanesson but he is a similar sort of fighter, he just moves his head more.

"I would have a chance against him, it all depends on whether he can keep up with the pressure I would put on him.

"There's no point in avoiding anyone, I have showed what I can do and people should see that."

The two-time English champion overcame obstacles in and out of the ring, such as having the fight venue switched from Walsall Town Hall.

Johanesson had already dropped to one knee in the 10th before bowing to another barrage of punches in the next round to end the bout.

Gethin said: "It turned out to be a great night and Johanesson wasn't going out without a fight, he was there to win it.

"It was just back and forth all the way through the fight, I didn't expect to stop him but I did feel strong on the night.

"I did well to catch him with a clean shot because he had quite a tight guard himself. I rocked him and his legs wobbled.

"I pummeled a fair few shots into him and caught him with a right over the top that landed clean and he went down.

"In the next round, I piled into him with a few more shots and the referee jumped in."