Aspire Boxing Club: Big name boxing promoter Eddie Hearn backs fight to save popular Sheffield boxing club

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn knows a fight worth backing when he sees it.

And when the man who has staged some of the biggest boxing matches in the sport heard that Aspire Boxing Club in Sheffield was under threat, he decided to give it his support.

And on Wednesday night, he surprised the club's young members when he turned up at one of their sessions at the club's Spring Lane gym in Arbourthorne to meet them and express his support.

The club has been meeting three times a week at one of the buildings on the Sheffield Inclusion Unit site, on Spring Lane, Arbourthorne, since 2017, but has been told it has to leave because the school now needs the rooms, as school exclusions are rising.

Sheffield Council officials are trying to find an alternative venue that it can use.

Ronny Tucker, who runs the club, said the youngsters were delighted when Eddie turned up at their training session.

And the promoter then proceeded to give youngsters free tickets for the huge Dalton Smith v Jose Zepeda boxing match that he was staging at Sheffield Arena at the weekend. Three of the youngsters also won ring side seats after Eddie arranged challenges for them on the night.

Ronny said: "He had heard about our situation, and while he was in Sheffield he wanted to come and show his support. I hadn't told anyone that he had promised to come, and seeing their faces when he walked through the door was great.

"He had to drive back to Essex that night, but he still made time for everyone, and let all the kids have their pictures taken with him.

Nearly 1,500 people have put their names to an online petition which aims to save the club. You can long onto https://www.change.org/p/save-aspire-boxing-club-from-closure-in-arbourthorne-sheffield to sign it.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The Star’s free emails Ronny said Sheffield Council had been supportive but the club was still waiting for it to find another venue the club can use as a base.

Arbourthorne's ward councillors have expressed their support for the club and the work it does offering free activities for children living in the area.

The club also runs talks in schools warning youngsters of the dangers social problems such as gangs and knife crime.