Jack-pot for Annan boxer!

ANNAN lad Jack Blair is targeting the world stage after claiming victory in Scotland’s first ever bare-knuckle boxing promotion last Saturday. The 20-year-old was fighting for the Scottish Featherweight Title at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Ice Arena. And the former Annan Academy pupil won his bout in less than a minute in front of family and friends at the 3000 capacity venue. Jack said: “Pretty much my whole family were there. Quite a good team came up to support us from Annan. “A great group of lads from Glasgow, Impact BKB, hosted a great show. It was unbelievable, from the crowd to the arena, and everything else. I was extremely proud to be a part of it. “I was fighting a lad who has a lot of experience in martial arts. We were pretty evenly matched in terms of experience, but obviously I came home with the win.” He added: “In glove boxing you are able to take a bit of damage to get into a better position. “In bare-knuckle you don’t want to let your opponent have that opportunity, because one punch could give you a cut over your eye which could potentially stop the fight. “If it does go the distance then I’m prepared, but my aim is to get them out of the ring as fast as I can.” Jack says the feeling immediately after winning was indescribable, he said: “It took a moment to set in. In the moment I was mainly thinking – is the fight over? “But when I realised how quickly and the fashion in which I’d done it, it was unbelievable. “It’s hard to describe. That’s why I keep getting back in the ring. That feeling of getting in the ring and testing yourself. The adrenalin you get is unbelievable. Nothing can match it.” It was a mention on social media which led to Jack getting involved in the bare-knuckle discipline. He said: “Since I was ten-years-old I’ve done traditional boxing and fought for clubs. “Somebody tagged me in a post on Facebook about a bare knuckle event. I like a challenge so I just thought I may as well go for it. It’s just kind of taken off since then." Jack manages to fit in a busy training schedule in between working two jobs, at Vivers Scotlamb in Dornock and doing one-on-one boxing coaching sessions at night. Jack has ambitions to reach the top of the sport and hopes that with hard work it can one day become a reality. He said: “For me, I want to take every single belt there is. I’m not out there to be picking who I fight, I’ll take anyone. “I’m hoping to do the BKFC promotion, that’s the big one in the UK. I’m hoping to take the title in that and then try and get myself over to America and go all over the world fighting.” Thanks are expressed to sponsors Impact Gym Dumfries, The Pantry, Annan Convenience Store, McK Graphics Limited, The Shed, Hawes Forestry LTD, Solway Cafe and Annan’s Bodybuilding Gym. Also to all of those who came to show support and the team of: Sandra Rees, Tim Rees, Sam McCarthy, Reece Oakley and Cody Matthew.