STOKES’ RUN GOES ON
Sam makes it seven successive wins with a victory over Harrison
POPULAR Sam Stokes (Basildon) had a bit too much of everything for Chessington’s Richard Harrison, taking a clear four-round victory at the Skylark Hotel. Referee Lee Cook (officiating throughout) scored it 40-37, presumably giving Harrison (who never stopped trying) a share of one of the last two.
Stokes stormed out for the first, pumping out jabs and banging in solid shots to the head. The second saw more of the same, and Stokes raised a swelling under Harrison’s left eye. Richard rallied in the third, and several times had Stokes covering up on the ropes. Harrison kept up the pressure in the last, and landed a solid-looking burst to the body – but Stokes replied with a flurry of his own, and the bout ended with a right uppercut that jerked Harrison’s head back. It was Stokes’ seventh straight win after losing his debut by disqualification.
Also from Basildon, Lewis Adams made it two triumphs in a row with a 39-36 win over four against Croatian Antonio Horvatic. Lewis lost a point in the last for using his elbow – after two warnings. Horvatic tried to move and keep out of danger, but was consistently outworked.
A Basildon hat-trick was thwarted by Ghana’s Michael Barnor, who held comebacking Joe Stevens to a 38-38 draw in a four-rounder. It was Stevens’ first bout since his losing debut in October 2013.
Stevens won the first two, but southpaw Barnor’s extra strength started to tell from the third. Stevens lost his gumshield twice in the last, and was coughing uncontrollably – and was taking stick on the ropes at the bell.
A female six-twos saw debutant Hannah Rankin take what I thought was a lucky 59-57 verdict after a hardfought battle with Ester Konecna of the Czech Republic. But Rankin always came back after being caught.
THE VERDICT No big names, but a good-value show.