JORVIK Boxing Club is facing the most cruel - and potentially fatal - blow.

Tomorrow the doors close on the club’s old Manor School base and it will be homeless.

The have-gloves-but-no-ring plight was outlined by founder member Gary Kelly, whose dream of running his own club after decades in the sport has been KO’d.

However, the Scots-born ring warrior refuses to give up without a fight.

He has re-launched a plea for anyone in York to provide premises. And, if failing to find their own home, Kelly added he would consider sharing with another club or gym provided the Jorvik BC name could continue to survive and even thrive again.

At its strongest Jorvik BC totalled 40-plus members across a wide age range with a three-strong coaching team headed by Kelly, but in the weeks up until the closure numbers have more than halved.

Aware the fateful day was coming Kelly has been on a quest for a new base for the last nine months, but either the cost was too prohibitive or talks finally fell through.

“I’ve been involved in boxing for more than 20 years now in York, but it was always my dream to run my own club and over the last three years I have been doing that,” he said.

“It’s sad that we have lost what has been our home, but I’m hoping there’s someone out there who could provide us with suitable premises.”

Kelly insisted that any base would not need to be large, adding: “Something like 30-square feet would be okay so we could get a 20-foot ring in. That would be sufficient.”

The Jorvik founder also said that for the benefit of the core of boxers he has helped to school over the last three years he would be prepared to share with other clubs.

If anyone can come to the aid of the Jorvik band of boxers, some of whom have earned county championships, they can phone Kelly on 07512 309067.