On a tough night for Cambridge, the Dark Blues stormed to early victory, developing an unassailable 5-0 lead before Cambridge hit back with some impressive wins. 

The atmosphere was electrifying as the 105thVarsity Boxing Match got underway.  First into the ring was Cambridge captain John Lacy.  Lacy looked more technical than his opponent, landing straight punch combinations, but was quickly tired by the more energetic Michael Davis.  The second round saw Davis take the upper hand and land some heavy blows.  By the end the Cambridge boxer was exhausted and retreating. Lacy survived a second standing count to make it to the bell, with the unanimous decision going to Oxford.

Nick Melgaard surprised his opponent with hand speed and footwork.  Moving smoothly around the ring, the Cambridge boxer landed crisp jabs, controlling the pace of the fight.  A frustrated and outclassed James Watson came out hard in the third, and a lucky right hand sent Melgaard to the canvas and stopped the contest.

A furious light-welterweight bout saw Guy Sucharitakul battle Tom Eliasz.  Both fighters went all out from the bell, trading shots hard and fast.  The Cambridge fighter quickly began to tire, and a huge combination from Eliasz in the second round led to a standing count which ended the bout, despite the Cambridge boxer’s eagerness to continue.

Stepping into the ring to face the Oxford Captain was Aron Schleider.  The Oxford southpaw began the fight looking confident, landing good shots and rocking Schleider with his straight left hand. But Schleider stayed on the offensive, hounding Oliver Harriman with fearsome combinations.  An intense second round saw Schleider relentlessly pursuing the Oxford captain. Despite landing some good punches, the Dark Blue captain was fatigued by Schleider’s ferocious onslaught.  Both fighters battled exhaustion in a stunning display of courage which brought the crowd to its feet. The third round could have seen either boxer stopped, as the two traded enormous blows. The final bell saw both boxers bloodied, and brought a standing ovation from the crowd in recognition of an outstanding performance.  Harriman’s earlier technical edge secured a points victory for Oxford, but the Cambridge welterweight has everything to be proud of.

Light-middleweight Sebastian Pender successfully used his excellent lead hand and footwork to frustrate his opponent, controlling the pace of the fight.  Ben Bussman was frequently caught out by Pender’s well timed uppercuts and lead hooks.  A desperate effort in the third round saw the Dark Blue connect with some punches, but Pender reacted well and used his long reach and skill to keep his opponent at bay.  An appalling decision saw a majority decision given to Bussman.

With Oxford heading for a whitewash, Borna Guevel stepped up for Cambridge, dominating his contest with Tommy Williams in a powerful display of controlled aggression.  Using excellent movement, the Cambridge middleweight consistently landed hard shots to the head and body of his opponent. The faster Guevel stopped his opponent for good in the second round, delivering a much needed win for Cambridge.

Chris Webb delivered a boxing master class, throwing fast and accurate combinations against Simon Lack.  Demonstrating slick defence, Webb stayed away from Lack’s wild shots while landing his own stinging blows, and nearly stopped him in the third round with a sharp right hand.  Webb took a unanimous victory for Cambridge, and his fourth consecutive win against Oxford.

Chris Kelly faced returning Dark Blue Ben Morris in a hard fought rematch.  Kelly threw fast and tight combinations, effectively tying up Morris in the first round. A scrappy bout saw both fighters struggling to land clean blows. However, while Morris landed fewer shots, his power in later rounds won him the decision.

Heavyweight Chris Meurice took on returning Dark Blue Andrei Akhlediani in an explosive final bout.  Both boxers were quick on their feet, but Meurice had a clear edge and exploited it to great effect, landing crisp and powerful straight punches.  Shaken by his opponent’s power, the Dark Blue heavyweight tired quickly. In the final round Akhlediani was charging desperately after Meurice, who boxed superbly on his back foot.  The majority decision for Cambridge did not quite do justice to a stylish performance, but the victory was a welcome end to the night.

A hard night for Cambridge, but one that saw some inspiring displays of courage and skill. The Cambridge team looked strong after a very successful training season organised by Head Coach Lee Mitchell, and were unfortunate to lose out in this year’s Varsity Match.