March Boxing Club prospect Joe Steed edged in National Development Senior Championships

March Boxing Club coach Dave Cole admitted mistakes cost youngster Joe Steed after the 18-year-old was sent to a defeat in the pre-quarter finals of the National Development Senior Championships.

The Fenland fighter stepped through the ropes for the first time since being crowned the Eastern Counties Novice champion, but couldn’t produce another winning performance against Repton Boxing Club prospect, Thomas Bennett.

Both boxers began hesitantly in the first round, before exploding into life in the second with Steed throwing a number of accurate power punches.

Bennett grew back into the fight in the final round and did enough to edge it on the judges scorecards in what was a fight that could have been awarded to either boxer, according to coach Dave Cole.

“After two rounds we were going into the final round with an advantage,” he said. “In the third Joe made several mistakes and lost the round. It could have gone either way.

“The bout was one of the best of the show in terms of the quality of boxing therefore Joe should be proud of himself for boxing that well at that stage of the competition at 18 years old.”