South Shields boxer Paul Gidney beats Phil Hervey but Lee Mould pulls out

Mal Gates showered Paul Gidney with praise after watching his newest signing clinch another win for the in-form South Shields camp.
Paul Gidney on the attack against Phil Hervey. Picture by Tom Collins.Paul Gidney on the attack against Phil Hervey. Picture by Tom Collins.
Paul Gidney on the attack against Phil Hervey. Picture by Tom Collins.

Gidney, making only the second appearance of his professional career, outpointed Lancashire’s Phil Hervey in Gateshead last night.

The bantamweight conceded weight and height to the Wigan fighter, but not ability.

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Gidney, who signed for the Harton & Westoe Miners Welfare gym last year, controlled the four round bout from start to finish, Andrew Wright scoring it 40-36 to the Tynesider.

The only disappointment for Gates and his team on the night was that all-action welterweight, Lee Mould, had been forced to pull out at the last minute because of injury.

But Gates was happy with the form shown by Gidney – the coach told the Gazette in the build up to the contest that he wanted the young talent to get rounds under his belt and his boxer followed orders.

“I could not fault Paul in any way,” said Gates. “I wanted him to get the rounds and I said to him ‘keep your shape and do what you do in the gym with Anthony [Nelson].

“He boxed really well.

“It was a faultless four rounds of boxing.”

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Gidney went straight to the body of Hervey and had immediate success.

The southpaw did not seem too fussed on using his jab, but it’s hard to criticise him when his left hand found the head of Hervey with regularity.

It got through every time and while Hervey was less static and not as easy to hit in the second session, Gidney landed a couple of nice right-left combinations.

There were a couple of jabs in the second half of the fight but his left continued to be the pick of the punches as he registered a shut-out points win.

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Team-mate Mould was at ringside to support him and Gates said the Sunderland crowd favourite was “gutted” to cry off.

“It was very frustrating for Lee but, at the end of the day, that’s boxing,” said Gates. “He went over on his ankle while out running and couldn’t really put any weight on it, so could not box.

“But these things happen and he’ll be back soon.”