I’ve been negotiating with them since the hotel was first built,’ said Leonis coach Dave Thompson.
‘We’ve at least two dates booked; one for February, one for April and maybe another one for May.
This won’t be dinner boxing, but the venue is lovely and I’m very excited by the deal.
We should be able to attract an audience of between 450 and 500 people.’
It has been three years since Leonis’ former venue, the Royal Hotel, turned them away, during which time Leonis have had to ‘fill in’, primarily with dinner boxing at the Hotel L’Horizon, although earlier this year the Merton Hotel stepped in and hosted a Leonis ABC tournament which was well received by the general public.
However, the Radisson represents a new era for Leonis, not least because it is a new hotel and one which should appeal to a large number of fans who live in St Helier.
‘Apart from the actual dates, which we’ve yet to confirm, we’re absolutely delighted to welcome Leonis which is another aspect of our supporting the local community,’ said Radisson Hotel general manager Jonathan Huglin.
‘We’re always willing to listen to other sports and are in the process of looking at becoming sponsors ourselves.
It’s important to us to plant ourselves firmly in the Island way of life and we’re looking forward to Leonis being here.’
The manager’s words echoed those of Thompson who, for the last three years, has been coach to a club which, for much of that period, has been ‘homeless’.
‘At the moment I’m on the crest of a wave with the venues we now have and with the number of good young boxers coming through,’ he said.
‘I’m also delighted that the Army Adventure Training College are coming over again in April.
They’re based in Harrogate, and this will be the second time they’ve come: last year they were surprised at the high standard of the boys at the gym and were keen to come back again.
‘However, the Radisson Hotel’s offer is the icing on the cake.
It means we have a first class venue for a top class number of experienced and up and coming boxers.’
