There’s a certain poetry to the punch, a choreography to the clinch, and in Newark, the Lion’s Den Boxing ABC is about to get a new home besides the monumental effort of the coaches and support staff, a massive thank you to is due to Newark Sherwood council for funding the move in no small part. The club itself is almost mythic in its modesty. A relatively new contender with the sort of seasoned wisdom that feels older than the walls themselves. generational experience handed down from heritage of boxing excellence and practitioners of the art.  At its helm are Clownes Steele, Robert Morton, and Nathan Bastable names that, in local boxing circles, carry the weight of trust and respect.

The first time I met Clownes was three or four years ago. The scene: a Buxton ABC show, the air thick with anticipation, the sort of night when the ring lights burn holes in the darkness and every parent’s heart beats in sync with the bell. My son Dylan was up against one of Clownes’s lads. Dylan, all nerves and knuckles, scored his first win. Afterwards, Clownes came over, shook my hand, and with that trademark generosity, complimented Dylan on his manners. “A polite, decent lad,” he said. You could tell he meant it. That’s Clownes. Honest, kind, generous in word and deed deeply spiritual man and his aura is of someone grateful to god for everything in his life.

He doesn’t chase the limelight. he wont bring the music but he will be there if the lights go out. if you need someone in your corner, literally or otherwise. count on Clownes.  There is weight in the way he carries himself. A man’s man. Quiet, steady, immovable. He doesn’t talk about standards. He lives them.

And then there’s Robert Morton. the Sweet, capable Robert. If Clownes holds the wheel, Robert keeps the engine running. He is dependable in a way that should be measured. If he ever left the building, you’d expect the ceiling to come down. He holds it together without needing to be told he’s doing it. He sees the things others miss. A dropped shoulder, a flicker of hesitation, a spark of potential where others see a scrap of chaos. He coaches with care. His presence is calm, but never soft.

And driving much of the club’s daily rhythm is Nathan Bastable. A coach, yes but more than that, a steward of the whole operation. Tireless in dedication, methodical in preparation for home shows, Nathan is the one stitching everything together. The logistics, the communications, the behind-the-scenes tasks that few notice but every club depends on. He makes the place run. He makes it feel like more than a gym.

Now, Lion’s Den is ready to take its next big step. After 19 months of borrowing time slots in Carl Greaves’s gym, the club is finally moving into its own venue keys expected any day now, with a hopeful launch date of July 1st. As Robert put it, “Fingers crossed it will be the 1st of July—should be a lot better for all of us in a new building.” It’s more than a logistical upgrade. It’s a declaration of arrival.

And with close to 40 carded boxers expected to start the 2025–2026 season, it’s not just a new chapter. It’s a full-blown uprising.

Three of their fighters—Dan, Sunny Steele and young Robert Morton Jr—have had standout seasons already, and behind them is a rising tide of promising young boxers. They don’t just train hard. They train well. The future, loud and sweaty, is punching pads in Newark.

The air at Lion’s Den isn’t filled with noise. It’s filled with intention. Every session is precise. Every drill is taught with care. There’s something rare here. No false bravado, no empty theatre. Just a space where boxing matters and character is shaped.

If you want flash and fanfare, look elsewhere. But if you want a club where young fighters are moulded into serious athletes and decent people by three of the most quietly respected men in the game, then make your way to Newark. Lion’s Den is not just surviving. It’s thriving.

And now, finally, it has a place to roar.