NORBERT NAILED
Skilful Sangha shines to make it six wins out of six as a pro
DERBY’S Indi Sangha emits poise in the ring, where he regularly crouches low, motionless, while looking for an unorthodox angle to score from, before throwing his shot and spinning clear well before anything by way of reprisal has the time to hit home.
This is all very good in theory, but the tactic is spoiled at times when he waits just a little too long to fire – a case of too much looking and too little throwing. When he does get it together, however, he moves up not just one gear, but jumps several at once, and looks very good in doing so. This was certainly the case at Rollerworld, where at the end of eight mostly one-way rounds, he was adjudged a 79-72 winner over Hungarian
Norbert Kalucza by referee Kevin Parker. The visitor was counted, despite his complaints, after being tagged inside the opening moments.
Another scheduled eight, between Derby’s promising Myron Mills and Hungary’s Tamas Laska, finished with eight seconds of the fifth frame remaining. Referee Shaun Messer halted what had long since become a one-sided affair, with Laska only just having risen after been floored by a left cross. Under heavy fire again, one final two-handed burst to the head from Mills left the official with little option but to intervene. Mr Messer disqualified Bulgarian
Daniel Borisov 58 seconds from the end of a high-octane four-rounder against heavy-handed Nottingham man Corey
Jackson, having tired of the visitor’s persistent holding. Not that Borisov had any cause for complaint. In fact, after being dropped on no less than four occasions – three times in the third and once in the fourth – and with a point already deducted for clinging on, he was headed for defeat by a ridiculously wide margin anyway.
Leicester-based Pole Bart Wypchal claimed a shutout win over four in an allsouthpaw encounter with Istvan Orsos. The Hungarian had his nose bloodied by Wypchal, who scored with left uppercuts aplenty as he moved in behind the jab to deservedly get the nod from Mr Messer.
A meeting of old adversaries – altered to four-twos on the night due to a sizeable weight differential – pitched Derby’s Asif Akhtar in against Newark’s
Fonz Alexander. The pair had met back in December 2015 in what had been Akhtar’s last outing, with Asif prevailing 40-36. It was therefore a case of déjà vu when this one, overseen by Mr Parker, finished the same.
Another four that ended in a shutout saw one-bout Derby novice Alex Fearon get the better of Stourbridge’s hugely experienced Kevin Mccauley, who ensured that Fearon was afforded no easy ride. It was Mccauley’s 161st contest, and it was officiated by Mr Messer.
Long Eaton’s Peter Mcgurk secured a 39-37 success over four against Swansea’s
Matthew Ashmole, who suffered a cut by the right eye late in the third. Mr Parker refereed.
Stepping between the ropes for the first time, Derby’s Asad Riaz faced a late opponent change, with Hull’s Andy Neylon coming in at the 11th hour to replace Latvian Aleksandrs Rodulgins. Not that the change fazed Riaz at all, as the Blackburn-born fighter – the aggressor in the first three sessions – was declared a 39-37 victor over four for Mr Parker.
A potentially interesting showdown between Derby’s Elvis Dube and Lincoln’s Mitch Mitchell fell by the wayside not long before the show was due to begin.
With all of the boxers assembled in the ring before the evening’s action began, there was an immaculately observed 10-bell salute in memory of 17-year-old Derbyshire amateur Ed Bilby, who had tragically passed away a week earlier after his bout in nearby South Normanton.
THE VERDICT Silky Sangha has far too much in his arsenal for Kalucza.