Boxing Boys
"Boxing is a science, the study of a lifetime, in which you may exhaust yourself, but never your subject. It is a contest, a duel calling for skill and self-control. It is a test of temper, a trial of honour. It affords the chance to play the man and act the gentleman. It provides not only physical health, but natural force. It includes companionship with friends and opportunities to excel in your chosen sport. So go to it you would-be champions, may you enjoy every moment of your chosen sport:- But remember we cannot all be champions."
An extract from the program of the Kincorth ABC Boxing Show. Aberdeen.
The Amateur Boxing Association was formed in 1881 and the first ABA Championships were held at Wembley in the same year. During its heydey in the 1950s and 1960s thousands of youngsters climbed through the ropes in schools and amateur boxing clubs up and down the country. The national championships were held at the Royal Albert Hall, with government figures at ringside. Last year's finals had no big sponsors, no government officials and were held in Huddersfield.
The number of registered professional boxers has reduced from 30,000 in 1970 to only 8,000 today and in recent years Local Authorities have caved in to pressure to withdraw support for school boxing and many councils have banned it from their premises. However, the sport continues at the grass roots with thousands of youngsters, some as young as 11, entering the ABA championships this year.
The sport has also gained some high-profile supporters, including the Home Secretary David Blunkett, who recently announced that young tearaways should be given boxing lessons to turn them away from crime. In a speech to criminal justice professionals, Mr Blunkett said "Do we say it's not a good idea because really boxing the hell out of each other is not a terribly good idea, or do we say there's a positive avenue for getting that youngster to believe in themselves and re-engage with school, family and wider community?"
The biggest opponent of the amateur sport is the British Medical Association which has continually tried to ban the sport saying that it opposes boxing simply on the grounds that the sport caused head injuries.
Since last September, when the ABA qualifying rounds started, bouts have been taking place in smoke-filled pubs and working men's clubs across the country. This set of portraits of the youngest boxers in the ABA championships have been taken at amateur boxing matches across the UK.
About Simon Roberts
Simon is a 30-year-old London-based photographer represented by *nbpictures. He graduated from Sheffield University with a first-class honours degree in Geography followed by a diploma in Photojournalism from the National Council for the Training of Journalists. His freelance photography career started in 1998 after winning the Sunday Times Magazine Young Photographer of the year. Since then he's carried out notable assignments for TIME, Guardian Weekend Magazine, Esquire, South China Morning Post, Japanese GQ and Russian Vogue. He has been exhibited in London, Amsterdam, Germany and at Visa Pour L'Image, Perpignan. Most recently he was a student on the World Press Masterclass in Amsterdam and was voted by Photo District News as one of the 30 photographers to watch. From July 2004 he will be working on a year-long project with his wife in Russia.