KAL’S STILL THE KING
Birmingham is right to get excited about the Yafai brothers and Eggington
Read our ringside report from Yafai’s first WBA super-flyweight title defence
KAL YAFAI is a man with the world in his hands, but after dishing out 12 rounds of non-stop punishment on tough but limited Suguru Muranaka, they required heavy, heavy icing.
Birmingham had to wait a long time for its first world champion, with Yafai, the eldest of three fighting brothers, claiming the WBA super-flyweight crown back in December. It was only right that he made the first defence of the title back in his hometown, on a night stacked with Brummie talent on what must go down as a superb event for the city’s representatives.
Yafai [inset, with promoter Eddie Hearn], 27, was leading the charge, of course, but he was frustrated not to put a stop to Muranaka, who touched down briefly in the second round before losing on all three cards. A score of 118-110 and two of 119-107 confirmed Yafai’s dominance, and that was even with the home fighter’s eighthround point deduction for repeated low blows.
It was not a win which reached the heights of December 10, when he did a job on Luis Concepcion, but he will reflect on a good night’s work once his hands stop aching.
As he faced the media in the bowels of the Barclaycard Arena an hour after the fight’s conclusion, he had a sack of ice covering each paw. “I’ve got brittle hands,” he said. “I punch a bit, so it happens. It is just one of those things. There is nothing really you can do but get on with it. I was throwing punches for 12 rounds.”
His power, to head and body, marked him out as one of the world’s best prospects during his rise, as he racked up nine stoppages in his first 12 fights. That ratio has slowed slightly, but he started here with 14 in 21.
It looked like another one was on the way in the second when a straight right hand down the pipe forced Muranaka to
touch down. At that point it looked like an early finish was guaranteed.
But the 31-year-old, boxing for the first time outside of Japan, is made of strong stuff, and he soaked up round after round of blows from Yafai’s ever-worsening fists.
The 2008 Olympian used the left of those well with trademark hooks to the head and that spiteful one round the ribs. However, it strayed too low for Steve Gray’s liking in the eighth and the referee punished him for it.
However, that point was entirely academic with the three ringside judges making Yafai a clear winner anyway. Now he can look forward to big fights with the other three world champions in the talent-stacked 115lb division, while Roman Gonzalez, currently without title, remains the biggest draw.
Yafai added: “He’s the biggest name, so he is the one you have to chase. I thought he won his last fight, I thought it was close and he nicked it. Maybe he is not what everyone thinks he is at superflyweight. Maybe he’s not big enough and strong enough. If he gets in with me I’m a big, strong super-fly, so let’s see how he deals with that.”
His promoter Eddie Hearn, meanwhile, has floated the idea of a showdown with fellow Brit Charlie Edwards, the current British champion. Hearn said: “If Charlie can beat a name in the first defence of that title then you’d rather see Kal in with him than some other Japanese guy. I said to Kal about Edwards and he said, ‘I’ll batter him’. You have to keep it relevant and two Brits for a world title is.”
One Brit who continues to close in on world honours is Sam
Eggington, the former British and Commonwealth welterweight champion, who claimed the European welter title in front of his adoring home fans.
They nearly raised the roof when he emerged before Spain’s defending titlist
Ceferino Rodriguez, and the place was shaking when “The Savage” knocked him out cold in the 10th round.
Eggington, who had designs on being a journeyman when he initially turned professional, is still just 23 years old and moved to 21-3 (13) as a result of this spectacular finish.
He did not have it all his own way, however, with Rodriguez getting the better of Eggington in the seventh round in particular. The champion was soaking up punishment, too, but when the end came it was chilling.
The local man rendered
‘I SAID TO KAL ABOUT CHARLIE EDWARDS AND HE SAID, ‘I’LL BATTER HIM’
➤ Rodriguez unconscious with a left hook but, before referee Massimo Barrovecchio could step in, Eggington still had time to crash home a right uppercut and a left hook, which sent him plunging backwards through the ropes, where he stayed for three worrying minutes.
Eggington is expected to defend the title later this year, before they explore the possibility of a fight with Danny Garcia in Las Vegas, according to his biggest fan, Matchroom’s Barry Hearn.
Earlier, Kal’s younger brother Gamal Yafai made a real statement when he stopped local rival Sean Davis to claim the WBC International superbantamweight strap in what was dubbed the Battle of Birmingham.
Yafai, who improved to 12-0 (5), lived up to his “Beast” nickname by flooring spirited Davis six times before referee Ian John Lewis decided enough was enough after 2-27 of the seventh.
Before that, another Brummie, Frankie Gavin, got his career back on track – of sorts – with an eight-round points win over Frenchman Renald Garrido. Gavin, boxing for the first time since his defeat to Eggington in October, still believes he has work to do in the sport. This one, against a man who emerged in a full lion costume, was an absolutely must-win fight.
Gavin [below, on right] shipped a couple of worrying right hands within seconds of the first bell but regrouped, established his distance and fiddled his way to a 77-75 score in the eyes of referee Kevin Parker.
Former Team GB star and Rio Olympian Josh Kelly built on his impressive professional debut victory over Jay Byrne last month with another eye-catching win. Kelly, all low hands and footwork, outclassed another opponent with a winning record as he stopped the previously 6-1 Jony Vina, of Spain, after 1-27 of the fourth when official Shaun Messer waved it off. Now Sunderland’s Kelly can look forward to headlining in Newcastle at the Next Gen show at the Walker Dome on June 23.
‘GAMAL YAFAI LIVED UP TO HIS ‘BEAST’ NICKNAME AGAINST DAVIS’
In a classic action fight, Adam Harper, of Tewkesbury, won the vacant Midlands Area super-welterweight title against the well-supported Birmingham man Ryan Kelly. After a 10-round tearup, referee Messer scored it 97-95 to the visitor.
Before that, five Birmingham boxers recorded points wins in their fourrounders. Jordan Clayton beat Latvian
Nick Golubs 39-38, while Kieron Conway floored Jan Balog, of the Czech Republic, en route to a 40-35 decision.
Aaron Lovell defeated Melksham journeyman
Liam Richards 40-36, while ex-gb amateur
Cori Gibbs impressed in his 40-36 victory over previously unbeaten Ahmed Ibrahim, of Glasgow.
Local favourite Charlie Williams was dropped in the first round by Londoner
Josh Thorne, but regrouped and held on for a 38-38 draw.
And it was the same result in the night’s final contest when referee Kevin Parker thought Halesowen’s
Lennox Clarke’s eight-rounder against Czech Karel Horejsek was level after eight.
THE VERDICT Birmingham boxing is set for take-off with the Yafai brothers and Eggington.