Wetherby welcomes professional boxing

Over the past 15 months another form of entertainment has found a new home there as Yorkshire boxing promoters Mark Bateson and former professional boxer and world champion York’s Henry Wharton have brought five professional boxing shows to the Wetherby venue.

"The venue is ideal for our shows which are a prime example of what’s known as ‘small hall’ boxing," said Bateson. "These are the bedrock underpinning professional boxing and offer younger relatively unknown fighters the opportunity to build a solid record of achievement.

"Fans appreciate not having to travel far to support their fighter and once there the proximity to the action and being able to congratulate or commiserate with their boxer after the bout."

The latest show saw Nathan Shepherd and Jack Marshall who train at Henry’s Gym in York joined by East Leeds boxer Jack ‘Baggy’ Bagnall.

All three won their bouts against opponents from Doncaster, Essex and Manchester respectively.

"‘I’ve won five of my six professional bouts here in Wetherby," said Marshall, "and this place is becoming my second home. Nathan, Jack and I always sell lots of tickets because the shows offer an exhilarating few hours at a quality venue near home.

"Of course, we’re also good boxers who have high entertainment value."

Shepherd also brought a large contingent who unfurled a banner of support for ‘Shepdog’ from the gallery which allowed his supporters to witness his seventh professional victory.

Bagnall hired a coach for his fans stating that ‘people told me that although they hadn’t travelled far it felt like a day out which made the action all the more enjoyable.’

Clare Reeder, Operations Manager at The Engine Shed, is delighted that boxing has come to Wetherby.

"Ours is a versatile award-winning venue that has held several sporting events over the years, and it has been a fabulous experience hosting boxing events and seeing the venue transformed into a boxing arena with the mezzanine level ensuring a brilliant view of the action. We’re proud to have made make boxing accessible to the local community in Wetherby."

Like all professional boxers the trio of Shepherd, Marshall and Bagnall hope to move onto more challenging bouts at bigger venues and all hope to compete for regional titles maybe as early as 2025. "

"It would be great to box at Leeds Arena," said Bagnall, "but wherever we end up we’ll always remember building our careers at The Engine Shed."

Boxing fans will likely be interested to know that Shepherd, 26, is currently ranked 50th of 121 UK middleweights licensed by the British Boxing Board of Control with Bagnall, 27, placed 26th of 78 UK super middleweights. Twenty-one-year-old Marshall is 36th out of 81 UK lightweight boxers.

Professional boxing will likely return to The Engine Shed early in the Spring.