A NIGHT to savour cheered former ring king Henry Wharton to the echo.

In what proved a memorable hat-trick, three boxers from his Henry’s Gym in Acomb marked their debuts with victories at a show at the Royal Hall in Harrogate.

Wharton remarked how his stable had opened and closed the show with stirring bouts that thrilled the crowd and delighted the former undefeated European, British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion.

“It was a fantastic evening,” enthused Wharton after his trio of Nigel Holland, Daniel Butler and Steve Wilson opened the new season with a bang.

“To have all three lads on debut and to have them all win and in such style was just superb.”

The opening bout of the night was that of home hope, Harrogate Amateur Boxing Club’s Jack Batchelor, against Holland, of whom Wharton was the most proud.

“Obviously the home crowd were roaring their man on, but the way young Nigel boxed was like that of someone who had had 30 fights. You’d just never know it was his first outing. When he came back to the corner after the referee had lifted his arm to win I told him that it was the performance of the night,” said Wharton.

Butler was next up and he was also a points winner disposing of Littleborough ABC’s Robert Murphy to the delight of Wharton.

And then the last bout pitted Wilson against Dan Beadle, also of Harrogate ABC, with Wilson taking the decision to round off a handsome Henry’s Gym outing to Harrogate.

“We started the show with two wins and finished with a victory for a three out of three. So it was the perfect night,” said the exultant coach.