SALISBURY boxers Darryl Ford and Gareth Heard cruised through their National Novice first round bouts on Friday in Bristol.

Twenty-year-old welter-weight Heard won in convincing fashion - the referee stepping in to save his opponent further punishment after two standing counts. It was a similar story for Ford who has moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight. He floored his opponent in the first round and following a series of hard straight punches, the towel was thrown in earning Ford a deserved stoppage success.

Both Salisbury boxers now head to Torquay on November 20 for the Western Counties area final.