Another homecoming win for Crowley
Cody Crowley proved to Kevin Higson he is no fake on Saturday night.
The Douro native laid a beating on his Hamilton-based opponent, winning every round on all three judges’ scorecards to add the Canadian Professional Boxing Council super-welterweight Canadian Title to his CPBC International Title.
A crowd of 2,700 at the Memorial Centre urged their hometown fighter on throughout the bout often chanting his name.
Following the 10 rounds the three scorecards read 100-90 as Crowley improved to 14-0 with seven knockouts. It was Higson’s second loss against 14 wins.
Crowley’s superior skills – quicker hands, faster feet, harder punches – dictated the bout throughout. He rocked Higson in the eighth round and punctuated the ninth with a hard left at the bell.
He busted Higson up early, drawing blood from above his left eye and his nose. Although hurt on a couple of occasions Higson remained competitive throughout the bout.
Crowley’s only disappointment is that he didn’t stop Higson, who said before the bout he was going to expose Crowley as a fake. Crowley taunted Higson after he hurt him in the eighth, drawing the ire of his trainer Ibn Cason who felt Crowley let an opportunity slip away to stop Higson.
“I let the crowd rile me up a little bit and I started feeding into it,” said Crowley, 25. “I got away from my coach’s game plan but, at the end of the day, we got the victory. We were going for the stoppage but he’s one tough competitor. He’s got a great chin.”
Crowley said he did a lot of things he wanted like controlling the bout by hitting and not getting hit.
“I expected him to come out mean mugging like he was. Trying to be the bad guy. Trying to be tougher. Trying to be the bigger dog. You saw who the real dog was in there tonight. It seems like they’re all bark and no bite,” said Crowley.
Higson said he felt fine after the fight. “My pride is a little bit hurt but that’s about it,” he said. “I’m not happy, obviously. I came here to win and I didn’t win. It wasn’t my night. I have no excuses, I lost. Cody was the better man on this night.
“I gained some respect that, yeah, he beat me but I still don’t respect some of the things he’s done,” said Higson, “but he beat me so I have to respect that. He was stronger and he was busy. I didn’t expect him to be that busy. I’m usually in better shape than most guys but he stayed with me the whole time.”