By Shaun Brown

A plea from a trainer to a judge may have saved the promising career of a young boxer.

Fred Evans, from Cardiff, who won a welterweight silver medal for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday and admitted unlawfully wounding his friend Michael Wilson at a pub in the area in October 2014.

Evans, 24, who broke the jaw of Wilson in the attack was told by Judge Jamie Tabor QC: “Why on earth you lost your self-control and punched your good friend, breaking his jaw, seems impossible to unravel.

“There must have been an undercurrent in your relationship with Michael Wilson which you and he are not saying anything about.”

Nigel Davis, coach to Evans told the court: “He is not a bully – he is a lovely lad” and asked for his charge to be spared a jail term as it would devastate his work and career.

“There is no excuse for what you did and you richly deserve a prison sentence - but I feel able to suspend that sentence,” said Judge Tabor.

Evans, a former European amateur champion, was given a two-year suspended sentence.

Former Team GB team-mate and fellow Welshman, Andrew Selby (brother to IBF featherweight champion Lee), makes his much anticipated professional bow in Newport tonight.

Shaun Brown is Boxing Scene’s UK Editor. Follow him on Twitter @sbrown2pt0 or contact him at sbrownboxing@gmail.com