WILTSHIRE’S English middleweight champion Nick Blackwell and former professional Chris Sanigar were the guests of honour as Devizes ABC held their first home show of the season at the town’s football club.

The host club’s Jordan Homer won his first-ever amateur contest with a unanimous points decision over Yeovil’s Charlie Amor.

Clubmate Jack Fordham was edged out on a majority decision by Yeovil’s Elliot Watts, but there was disappointment for twice-Western Counties champion Liam Wilkins.

A recurrence of a neck injury forced Wilkins to retire after the first few minutes against Tom Maunder, from Guernsey.

Devizes’ Jack Fisher made his comeback after three years with a unanimous points verdict against Matt Gaskell, from the University of Bath to claim one of the two ‘best boxer’ awards on the night from main sponsor Wiltshire Concrete, Fordham claiming the runner-up prize.

Also on the bill were 18 contests, 13 of them National Schoolboy Championship bouts, eight winners moving on to the Western Counties finals at Filton College in Bristol on January 30.

Club chairman Paul Wilkins said: “It was a great night and the local support was overwhelming.

“All the boxers should all be very proud of themselves.

“Devizes Amateur Boxing Club is going from strength to strength. We have a great team behind us and a strong squad of young boxers.”