Sponsorship’s a knockout for young boxer

Sponsorship is providing a promising young boxer with all the essential equipment he needs to face his first amateur competitive bout.

Thanks to support from leading environmental consultancy Franks Portlock, 16-year-old Bobby Winn is hoping to fulfil his future ambitions of becoming a professional boxer.

Bobby only started the sport with Spennymoor Boxing Academy in County Durham to get fit and overcome shyness but has come far within a short space of time, with club coaches identifying his potential to achieve titles at amateur and potentially professional level.

With the sponsorship backing of Franks Portlock, Bobby, from County Durham, has now been able to access equipment, including protective head and groin guards, fight attire and gloves, that will hopefully set him on a path to success this coming season.

Phil Franks and Stephen Portlock, who launched Franks Portlock in 2006, say the company continually looks at ways to sponsor young people to achieve their goals and ambitions, as well as supporting projects that make a difference to local communities, through its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

Amateur boxer Bobby Winn

Phil explains: “We hope supporting Bobby with this sponsorship in the early stages of his journey will help set him on the path to success. He clearly has enormous potential and the drive to achieve his goals.
“Developing and nurturing young talent, whether that is through sponsorship or employment opportunities, is part of our own journey at Franks Portlock and helps shape our values, and we will continue to play our part in supporting success.”

Bobby’s dad Anthony, Project Manager of Nuclear Services, says: “Bobby is grateful and appreciative that Franks Portlock has sponsored him on his journey to hopefully fulfil his potential and more importantly his dreams. “Without the backing, the equipment needed for Bobby and many other young amateur boxers is often expensive to afford.”

Bobby started attending Spennymoor Boxing Academy at eight-years-old and loved the feeling of movement, the challenge of learning new techniques, and the adrenaline rush of the workout. After a few months, his technique and fitness improved, and he was introduced to contact sparring,
From the ages of ten to 13, Bobby trained regularly. He had his first competitive skills bout aged 13, and his second aged 14, the aim of these bouts is to get young boxers used to competitive environments.
He then took a break aged 14, to concentrate on other interests and did not get back into boxing until May this year, aged 15. Within the first week of being back in the gym he fell back in love with boxing and has since thrived in the sport.

Bobby has his first amateur competitive bout Saturday 12th October at the Spennymoor Boxing Academy home show, and his second bout three weeks later Friday 8th November.