The boxers of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment won the Army Boxing Championship in a final that was a family affair for Colchester’s 16 Air Assault Brigade.

3 PARA boxed 13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistic Corps for the title in front of a vocal crowd at the Corporal Budd VC Gymnasium on Tuesday night (7 May). With all but one of the nine bouts going the distance 3 PARA won 6-3, with light heavyweight Lance Corporal Mick Quinn securing the victory in the night’s sixth contest.

The all-airborne final, a rematch of 2017’s final won by 13 AASR, was set up after 3 PARA defeated 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and 13 AASR beat 2nd Battalion The Rifles in the semi-finals.

3 PARA team captain Private Jack Child, the judge’s unanimous winner of his heavyweight match-up, said: “I’m really made up for the whole team. Everyone has put so much effort in across the whole season and it’s great to see the trophy come back to 3 PARA.”

Speaking after presenting the trophy to 3 PARA, Brigadier Nick Perry DSO MBE, Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, praised “the magnificent sporting spectacle” and highlighted the qualities that boxing brings to a soldier’s operational role.

“All of the boxers have shown skill, incredible heart, fighting spirit and a will to win,” he said. “They have shown judgement – knowing when to attack, when to defend and when to change tactics. Seeing the performance of junior soldiers in the ring tonight, I can see the future of the Brigade is in amazing hands.”

The victory returns 3 PARA to winning form after the defeat in 2017. The unit has won the title nine of the ten times it has entered the championships since 2003, and only not competed when on operations or training to deploy.