Boxing champions Dean Sutherland and Fraser Wilkinson hope their title glory will inspire the next generation of ring talent.
Aberdonian Sutherland secured the British Boxing Board of Control super-welterweight Celtic title with a stoppage defeat of defending champion Sion Yaxley on Saturday.
Sutherland, 25, won the title with a devastating stoppage of previously unbeaten Yaxley two minutes 12 seconds into the ninth round.
The title bout, at Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom, was also an official eliminator for the British title.
Wilkinson recently won the Scottish middleweight title with a ninth round stoppage of Ben McGivern at the Town Hall, Elgin.
Originally from Hopeman, Wilkinson relocated to Aberdeen last year to train at the Granite City ABC gym.
Both champions were at the Granite City gym to show young boxers their belts and deliver some inspiration.
Sutherland said: “I came to the gym with the Celtic belt to show the youngsters that hard work pays off.
“It shows it can be them, that you guys can do it and they are in the right place to do that.
“If that inspires and motivates them I’ve done my job.
“I want to inspire the young generation of boxers.
“I started very young and always had the inspiration of the older guys competing before me that were winning titles.
“It is a big passion of mine to give back, whether that is helping out with coaching or giving inspiration.”
Sutherland reflects on title win
Southpaw Sutherland secured the fourth title of his professional career with the stoppage defeat of Yaxley, who holds the IBO Continental super welter title.
In the ninth, Sutherland unleashed a torrent of punches with a devastating right leaving Yaxley out on his feet.
Referee Victor Laughlin stepped in to stop the fight.
Sutherland said: “There were ups and downs and it was going back and forth in a real 50-50 fight.
“That is what we expected beforehand and it really lived up to it.
“To finish the fight in the manner I did was the cherry on the cake.
“I have been on the opposite side and been the one that has been stopped so I understand that.
“However we are gladiators and you live by the sword and die by the sword.
“It was either going to be him or me that is in that situation and my grit, determination and heart got me through that.
“And I found the punch to get the win.”
Two weight Scottish champion
Wilkinson is now a Scottish champion at two different weights having claimed the national middleweight title with a stoppage defeat of McGivern.
The 23-year-old, who has trained at the legendary Julian Magdaleno gym in Mexico, previously won Scottish super welterweight title in December 2022.
Wilkinson said: “That’s my second title now and I’m a two-weight Scottish champion.
“It means a lot to me.
“I listened to David (McAllister Jnr, trainer) and didn’t rush in and stayed nice and composed.
“He said I would break him down.
“I caught him with a combination David and myself had been working on for weeks and finished him off.
“I hope to inspire young kids. There are still people I look up to.
“I do some work with the kids such as taking them on the pads.
“I’m sure the kids can feed off this title success.”
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