Boxer Aiden Postma wins silver medal in Development Championship final at Kettering just months after recovering from cancer

Teenage boxer Aiden Postma has won a national silver medal - months after recovering from cancer.

Postma, a member of Newark Boxing Academy, was just 15 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year.

He returned to training in July after being given the all-clear and on Sunday finished runner-up in the 80kg Development Championship final at Kettering.

The club couldn’t be happier for Postma, now 16, following his triumphant return to the sport after undergoing chemotherapy.

“The achievement even to be in the ring after what he’s been through is absolutely massive, let alone winning a silver medal,” said trainer Gary Springett.

“I wasn’t quite sure if he was even going to enter the championships, so when he got back in the gym, we said we’ll see how you are and how you’re feeling.

“We thought we’d roll the dice and we said if you don’t feel right at any point, we’ll pull you out.

“All the coaches, everyone at the club, we’re very proud of what he’s accomplished.

“He’s worked hard to get his fitness back up.

“I wouldn’t say he’s 100 per cent fit yet, either, so it was a great achievement to take a silver medal and I actually thought he’d done enough to win it.

“It’s a pity he couldn’t go all the way and pick the gold up but it was still a massive achievement to get silver.

“He’s only 16 now, so he was only 15 at the time of his diagnosis, so it’s not like he’s an adult.

“It would be hard enough for us to deal with, let alone at that age, so it’s a really good achievement and we’re so proud of him. He did himself and the club proud.”

After reaching the semi-finals, Postma faced two bouts in two days at Kettering.

On Saturday, he beat Markey Traylen (CNC Christchurch), with his opponent taking two standing counts in the final round.

That set up a meeting with Londoner George O’Neill (Don Davis Boxing) in the final.

“That was another thing, to box twice back-to-back,” said Springett.

“I know everybody does it but that’s quite hard.

“To box on the Saturday and again on the Sunday, that takes it out of you, but he did really well.

“He boxed well in the semi and again in the final.

“It was a really good fight, a cracking bout, but he lost on a 3-2 split.

“That was his first defeat and he took it so well because he’d gone 5-0 before that. He just took it on the chin. He’s got a brilliant attitude.”

Postma is back in action at the NAGBCs this weekend.