HARWICH Boxing Club took part in a competition on foreign soil, with seven of their members in action in Rotterdam.

Welterweight Paul Gordon's outstanding season continued with a stunning performance against host club boxer Wesley de la Paz.

Gordon soaked up pressure in the opening minute, before unleashing heavy-handed shots to head and body to force a standing eight count.

With the momentum in his favour, Gordon repeated the feat before the bell saved the Dutchman from a first-round stoppage.

Gordon, 21, was in no mood to hang around and a perfectly-timed chopping right-hand punch felled de la Paz for the full count of ten at the start of the second round, awarding the Harwich boxer a famous victory.

Stevie Martin, 15, recently crowned an Essex and Eastern Counties junior champion, took on Sarawat Narinram, from Sharks Boxing Club in Belgium.

He battled it out in the first round before a change of tactics paid real dividends.

In rounds two and three, Martin controlled the action from distance, with neat shots racking up the points.

Martin's efforts were rewarded with a unanimous points decision and also an award for the best technical boxer on display on this 16-bout show.

Juniors Toby Gledhill, Killian Hardy and Sean Darvell all gained valuable experience before going down on points in their respective bouts.

England's number five ranked light heavyweight, Pat Allen Cripps, had a tough night as he faced accomplished Dutch boxer Artjom Kasparian.

After three rounds of action, the Dutchman, who was warming up for the forthcoming European Under-22 Championships in Romania, won a deserved unanimous points decision.

Allen-Cripps can bounce back this Saturday as he contests the Essex Elite Championship final against Halstead ABC's Jason Bradley.

Harwich's other light heavyweight, Gavin Hewitt, faced local favourite Daan Blankemeijer.

He posted a good second round.

However, the Dutchman raised his game in the last to take the win.

Harwich head coach Martin Webb said: "While we only scored two wins from seven, our boxers gained valuable experience on the road.

"The nature of Paul Gordan's victory was freakishly good.

"I've not seen a knockout punch delivered so well in a long time and he is certainly on a journey to better things.

"We aim to host our Dutch counterparts in December when we promote in Harwich."