ORGANISERS of a major Huddersfield boxing event are confident there will be no crowd trouble.
Huddersfield fighters James Hare, World Boxing Foundation welterweight champion, and Dale Robinson, Commonwealth flyweight champion, will take on opponents at Huddersfield Sports Centre next Thursday.
Fears of crowd violence were sparked after a 100-strong brawl halted a boxing match in Rotherham last Sunday.
Around 200 Derby football fans, believed to be drunk, had wandered into the Magna Centre and begun singing aggressive football chants.
Huddersfield trainer Chris Aston - organiser of the Huddersfield event - was at Rotherham with one of his boxers whose bout was cancelled as police fended off attacks using CS gas and batons and battled to control the fracas.
Mr Aston, based at Northern Fitness Gym in Linthwaite, said there would be no repeat of these scenes at Thursday's match.
He said: "I was at Rotherham and it was disappointing for my fighter. It was a big fight that meant a lot to him.
"Fighters train for eight weeks for a match, take time off work and go through a lengthy mental process. So to be disappointed like that is a real comedown."
At Huddersfield, top-rated security firm Top Guard will make sure there is no trouble.
The firm is employed by Sky TV, which is televising the bout.
Mr Aston said: "Small promoters with no TV backing don't always have the money to pay for that kind of good security. With Sky, we do.
"There will be as many as 40 or 50 security guards, covering every entrance.
"We rarely have trouble. Once some Leeds football fans came to try to spoil a Huddersfield show - but they didn't get past the door. The guards won't let anyone sing football chants.
"I am expecting a good crowd. We have sold out the sports centre the six times we have been there."
For tickets to the event, phone Mr Aston on 01484 329616.
