An amateur boxer from Hucknall was delighted to win his very first fight last month.

Laureece Vassa, who is just 18-years-old, won by split decision in the lightweight contest which took place over three two minute rounds in Coventry.

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News, he said: "It was great, I had loads of my friends come down, my family was there. It was a great fight.

"I thought I'd be more nervous to be honest, I was 100% ready, I felt really good in the changing rooms hitting the pads and everything. I was just excited."

Asked about the moment he was declared the winner, Laureece added: "Amazing, the best part was holding my hands up, all the months of work coming out getting a win, felt amazing, seeing all my mates cheering and everything, it was a really good feeling. Hopefully I can get more like that soon. The drive has only increased to continue this, 100%."

The victory was a reward for years of hard work and dedication to the sport from Laureece, who trains at Hucknall Boys Amateur Boxing Club on Peveril Street, which is just off Annesley Road.

His association with the club goes back to when he was just nine years old. After he was forced to give up taekwondo due to rising costs, his mum found the boxing club and after his first session, he never looked back.

"I was full of energy," he recalls. "I just wanted a hobby. I wanted my own thing. I did a bit of taekwondo. It got too expensive for my mum, I cried. She found this for me, took me to it and I've just not stopped ever since.

"You really get a sense of discipline here. It's completely different to a lot of other places where they'll throw you in straight away to sparring. Here it's a lot about repetition, it's drilled into your mind, eventually you just ace it, that's what it's all about here. You can see your own progression here; I love looking back and seeing how much I've improved.

"The big thing here with my coaches is the amount of work you put in you get back from them. If you just work as hard as you possibly can, you'll get that back."

Laureece, is known by everyone at the club as 'Distraction,' a nickname that dates back to his younger years, when he'd just started attending the boxing gym.

"We used to go to Titchfield Park and we used to play bulldog for fitness. I used to dance and stuff like that to distract the people that were chasing us so everyone who was on my side could get to the other side," he explained.

Away from the ring, 'Distraction' is nearing the completion of a business qualification at City Hub which is part of Nottingham College on Canal Street in the city centre.

At present, he doesn't have any intentions of going to university and says that boxing is his primary focus.

He is also incredibly supportive of the club that have helped him for the last nine years. Asked about their new classes aimed at children aged between five and nine, which launched earlier this month, his advice to parents looking for activities for their children to participate in was to 'go for it.'

"A lot of parents would be worried about the thought of their children boxing. It's better for your child to come here, than potentially get into trouble on the streets. There are always the same people here, it teaches you discipline, sorts your behaviour out, and makes you a more confident person," he concluded.