Kilsyth’s Clash of the Titans

The Burngreen Road boxing gym is to be the venue for an epic battle between legendary local contenders Barry “Pretty Ugly Boy” Hutchinson and Eddie “The Bald Eagle” Blackwood – and was a complete sell out before the ink on the posters was dry.

The pair are competing for a special golden belt which appears set to become an iconic local trophy, and to win it for the first time will be seen as the ultimate honour.

So the pair have been training hard in the gym, with expertise supplied by veteran Kilsyth Golden Gloves Boxing Club stalwarts,

The clash is a fundraiser in memory of the fighters’ friend, Graham Albert Barclay, who tragically died two years ago in an accident in Holland during what should have been a happy celebration.

The entire Kilsyth boxing community appears to have rallied round to support this weekend’s fundraising fight, which will add to money already raised from football and other events.

The cash will go to the Brains Research Trust, in the hope that it may help people afflicted by brain injury, and this weekend’s spectacular is expected to raise at least £1,000 on its own.

Kilsyth’s popular Coachman Hotel will be even busier than usual on Saturday night, meanwhile, as it is generously volunteered to lay on a buffet after the fight.

A local boxing enthusiast, who has kept a close eye on the preparation for the event, said: “We’ve trained champions at national level before, so getting two ‘Dumplins’ (the name of the fight) presented no problem.

“We’re getting the Golden Belt engraved this week, and we can guarantee a local boxing event that will be truly special.”

He paid tribute to all the people in Kilsyth who have rallied around to support the fundraising effort and to help the Dumplins prepare for their fight.

“This is the sort of thing everyone wants to see do well, and the guys are in great condition - it is going to be a fight to remember!”