GB's ams get great sparring in World Champs prep by Tom Walker Oct 22nd 2007

The GB Boxing squad arrived in Chicago for this week's world champs in high spirits after an action-packed week in Philadelphia. The main highlight of their time in Philly was the high quality sparring. However, the squad did find enough time to soak up some boxing nostalgia in the famous boxing city. The squad were thrilled with the welcome they received from their hosts. Special mention should go to Tim Witherspoon, Percy ‘Buster' Custus and Clinton Barnes for the time and effort they put in to making the camp a success. David Price was especially well catered for, sparring ‘Fast' Eddie Chambers, Tony ‘The Tiger' Thompson and ‘The Gentleman' Chaz Witherspoon (as did Danny Price) amongst others. He relished the opportunity to get some top drawer sparring in the run-up to the most important tournament of the last four years. Bradley Saunders profited from four electric rounds with Karl Dargan the reigning Pan-American Games champion. Mo Nassir, Khalid Yafai, Darran Langley and Stephen Smith brought the whole gym to a standstill as they sparred. No mean feat considering the audience included Brother Nazeem, long-time trainer of Bernard Hopkins. Tim Witherspoon attended every session helping Terry Edwards organise the sparring. Former world champions Nate Miller, Buster Drayton and Robert ‘Bam-Bam' Hines were all in attendance with their assorted charges. The core training and sparring took place at Shulers Memorial Gym, with Rafferty's Gym providing some variation. Ever keen to please, Tim Witherspoon doubled up as a tour guide, taking the squad on a tour of Philadelphia including a visit to Smokin' Joe Frazier's Gym (former Olympic Gold Medallist as well as Ali's one time conqueror) and of course the essential pilgrimage to Rocky's steps. GB Head Coach Terry Edwards was delighted with the holding camp declaring it: "The right place at the right time. An opportunity to prime the team before the Worlds and build relationships that will be worth their weight in gold in future." On arrival at Chicago the team got their accreditations, went for a jog round Grant Park on the shore of Lake Michigan, and then headed to the University of Illinois for an evening training session. Today the team trained and attended the opening ceremony before the medicals, weigh-in, draw and preliminaries tomorrow.

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