CREWKERNE Boxing Club's young star Moken Mills has got a bright future in the sport ahead of him as he has enjoyed a very successful 2023.
The fourteen-year-old has been boxing since he was just six, and has continued to go from strength to strength.
In 2019 he had his first England boxing bout, at the age of just ten, which he won by unanimous decision.
After that fight lockdown hit and his local club closed. No matter, Moken, along with his father Larry Mills started travelling two hours a day, three days a week for year to train with a minibus full of local boxers.
That soon became unsustainable so Larry opened Crewkerne Boxing Club in a local village hall on one night a week.
It was a huge success and led to a local farmer offering the group an empty barn, and with the help of sponsorships from local businesses, a large donation from National Grid and hard work from the coaches and parents, they had built a fully functioning gym.
Larry Mills said: "Our club has gone from strength to strength since acquiring our new premises, we have over 130 kids and 70 adults signed up to memberships.
"We have had several case studies on our new club from England boxing and I was awarded England boxing coach of the year 2023."
But a large part of the success, according to Larry is down to the young gun Moken.
"A large part of our success is owed to our Moken Mills, who is constantly putting our club and town on the map, nationally and globally.
"Moken is an absolute ambassador to the sport, he lives and breathes boxing and is extremely grounded and humble despite his huge achievements, passing on his knowledge to younger and older members of our club during sessions."
Moken has had 39 England boxing bouts winning 32 and he has won several titles.
To list them, they are National Schools Champion, 2 x MTK Global Boxcup Champion, King Of The Ring Boxcup Champion (Sweden), Portimao Boxcup Champion (Portugal), Barum Boxcup Champion, Welsh Boxcup Champion, Wexford Boxcup Champion (Ireland).
As well as that, he has travelled and fought internationally, already, at his young age.
"In May this year we were invited to Havana, Cuba to train with the Cuban National School boy team, where Moken spent 7 days travelling around various clubs in Cuba for Sparring and training," Larry said.
"He was also asked to do a sparing exhibition in between bouts in the Cuban national Championships in Havana."
Moken's mind is now firmly fixed on winning the National Championships again this season to get the opportunity to be selected for The England Squad and representing his country.
"We have stepped his level of training up a gear and he has been on fire this season, boxing at the famous York Hall in Bethnal Green and competing in 3 Boxcup Championships in England, Wales and Ireland Winning all contests," Larry added.
The young boxer has won nine bouts in a row since September 8, with unanimous decisions and one TKO so the future continues to look bright for him.
Larry finished by saying: "We are all extremely proud of Moken, as a boxer but more importantly as a person, he is a humble, hardworking, kind hearted soul with a hunger to succeed.
"We honestly believe he will be a world champion one day and a house hold name."
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