The Union, renowned for intense debate, took a different approach to settling disputes on 1 February 2026. Chairs were pushed aside, dispatch boxes removed, and in their place stood a 16-by-16-foot boxing ring.

The Town vs Gown boxing event has become a staple of the Cambridge sporting calendar, running for over 30 years. This year, Cambridge University Amateur Boxing Club (CUABC) took on a team of local boxers. With a new coaching team, a winter training camp, and a silver medal at the British University Championships, CUABC arrived with momentum. But Town vs Gown often provides a dose of reality; squaring up against local boxers can be a sobering experience. This year though, the momentum turned into results as CUABC came out on top for the first time since 2014.

With the stage set and the Union crowd filling, the first of the 17 bouts commenced. Kanishkaa Karthik (CUABC) and Fatima El Faki (Rathbone ABC) got the day underway with a fast-paced bout, with Karthik on the front foot. Nevertheless, the judges favoured El Faki’s clean scoring combinations. The tone was set. Across a 17-bout card, results swung back and forth. Tennison Morris (CUABC) stopped Kosey Kandjou (Kings Lynn) with unrelenting pressure, while John Warrilow (CUABC) lost a tight split decision to Kasey Macdonald (Witham ABC) in the most technical bout of the day.

“Momentum turned into results as CUABC came out on top for the first time since 2014”

One of the loudest cheers of the night came for Patrick Davies (CUABC). Returning to the ring after a year away, he overcame Evan Richardson (King’s Lynn ABC). In an inspiring comeback, Davies bested his opponent in a back-and-forth bout, getting his hand raised to the roar of the Union crowd.

It was now time for a string of female bouts. Faith Cunningham (CUABC), another returning Town vs Gown boxer, beat Layla Murphy (Renegade ABC). In a bout which epitomised the adage ‘styles make fights’, Cunningham frustrated Murphy, knocking her to the canvas in rounds one and two, before the referee intervened and stopped the fight.

The Town vs Gown competition was briefly put on hold for some all-CUABC bouts. Olivia Marshall and Fernanda Lammgolia Cobo started off proceedings. Wasting no time, Marshall started strong, knocking Cobo to the canvas in the first round. As the fight progressed, Cobo looked unwavering, growing into the fight and stopping Marshall after a flurry of punches in the third round. In the two final all-CUABC bouts, Annabelle Werner beat Iman Khan after a succession of knockdowns in the first round, and Stephanie Kopbauer beat Carys Wilkins on points. Despite going from teammates to competitors for six minutes, each fighter was quick to embrace, epitomising the mutual respect after sharing the ring.

The competition quickly resumed, with the final bouts of the half not reaching the final bell. Richard Shumilin-Croxton (CUABC) lost to Shaw Howard (Witham ABC) by technical knockout (TKO), and Jasmine de Goede’s (CUABC) bout was called off in the first round due to a severe nosebleed, ending the first half of boxing.

“It’s a big moment for the club, and we’re looking to carry that into Varsity against Oxford, reclaiming the Truelove bowl”

Myles Hannah (CUABC) and Alex Keane (Albion ABC) soon reopened the action. Keane started fast with his high output, bringing early success. As the fight went on, Hannah grew in confidence, landing the bigger shots in the second round. With it all riding on the third, both boxers left everything in the ring; as the final bell rang neither boxer had anything left, embracing in a heartwarming show of respect. Keane’s hand was ultimately raised in a bout which could have swung either way.

An even match between Enrico Mariotti (CUABC) and Theo Lima (Ipswich ABC) soon followed, with both boxers forced to dig in. Mariotti bit down on his gum shield, willing to take a punch to give one, and overwhelmed his opponent with constant pressure. As the crowd applauded both boxers for a courageous performance, the referee raised Mariotti’s hand.

With four bouts remaining, Brodie Gibson (CUABC) was looking to overturn his loss at last year’s Town vs Gown. This almost instantly became a mammoth task – after he was dropped to the canvas by a flush overhand right inside the first ten seconds. But the tide quickly turned in Gibson’s favour as his footwork frustrated Ethan Johnstone (1st Signal Regiment), earning him a stoppage in the third-round.

By now, the canvas was already bloodied, but Kevin Huang (CUABC) and Joel Lunga (1st Signal Regiment) were determined to add to that. In a battle of wills, both men traded punches, with Lunga coming out on top on the judges’ scorecards. ‘Town’ now led ‘Gown’ heading into the final two bouts, with CUABC’s men’s captain up next. After a cagey first round, with neither boxer landing cleanly, Zac Baylis timed a perfect right hand on Riley Skinner (1st Signal Regiment), and the referee quickly stopped the contest.

As the scores stood level, it rested on Caleb Samrai to overturn nearly a decade of ‘Gown’ losses. In the heaviest bout of the day, Samrai beat James Delaney (Rathbone ABC); Samrai’s jab proving enough to keep Delaney at bay and seal a 7-6 victory for Gown. CUABC President Davod Shah later told Varsity: “Today the boxers showed the results of their hard work. It’s a big moment for the club, and we’re looking to carry that into Varsity against Oxford, reclaiming the Truelove bowl.”