COUZENS CRACKER
Big left hook crushes Jervier
THE latest Goodwin Promotions offering at York Hall produced some spectacular endings – none more so than in the 10-round cruiserweight main event.
Titchfield switch-hitter Danny Couzens against Willesden puncher Ossie Jervier seemed an even match on paper and worked out that way in reality. Couzens took the opener, boxing well on the move and scoring, only for Jervier to rock him with a left hook in round two.
But when Ossie attacked again in the third, he walked on to a left hook that sent him crashing down in his own corner. He beat the eight-count but when asked to walk towards the referee still looked unsteady, prompting referee Lee Cook to wave it off after 34 seconds.
Then the four-round cruiser showcloser brought a worrying ending at just 2-09 of the second. Palmers Green’s Nick Parpa hurt the Czech Republic’s Vasil Ducar first with a left hook then again with a right-hander – only to walk into a short right that sent him down, out cold. Referee Ian John-lewis wisely dispensed with the count so Parpa could receive medical attention, which thankfully saw him recover quickly.
By contrast, the light-heavy battle between Edmonton’s Spiros Demetriou and Tomislav Rudan (Croatia) lasted the full eight rounds, with the former getting home 80-73 for Mr John-lewis.
It seemed much closer, with both having their moments in a hard-fought, often scrappy affair. Stocky Demetriou did most of the leading off, but found upright Rudan’s left jab difficult to get past and while each was hurt at times, neither had the power to finish the other.
The bill’s other eight-rounder also travelled the full route, with Jumanne Camero (Mitcham) beating Liam Richards on a shutout 80-72 for Mr John-lewis, who scored while Mark Bates handled matters inside the ring.
The 5ft 11in Camero turned pro at welter but has worked his way down to lightweight. He landed plenty of rights (including stinging uppercuts) but the gritty Richards, from Melksham, soaked it all up and was never in danger of not hearing the final bell.
Two sixes both ended inside the distance, with Rosehill super-lightweight
Rakeem Noble hitting far too hard for
Georgie Wright. A right hook dumped the Loughton man early in round two and when he still looked unsteady after the eight-count, referee Cook halted matters after 31 seconds. This was Noble’s last fight before moving to Japan.
Ruislip southpaw super-welter Dean Richardson had a harder time against
Zoltan Turai, chipping away steadily with lefts until in round four a right hook had the Hungarian wobbling before going over. Referee John-lewis waved it off with 1-44 on the clock.
The remaining contests were fourrounders, including a victory for the night’s only debutant in Tom Ansell. The Hitchin super-welterweight dropped Sheffield’s Liam Wright with a right high on the head in round one, then hurt him several more times with the same punch before settling for a 40-35 points score from Mr Cook (Mr Bates refereed).
Marchwood light-heavyweight
Charlie Quinn ruthlessly dispatched Croatia’s Marko Ivanisevic in just 2-42 of round one. A right hurt the import, who was then pinned on the ropes before buckling from another big right to prompt the intervention of referee Bates.
Finchley middleweight Charlie Beardon was made to work hard for his 39-38 (Mr Cook) victory over Dan Blackwell. The Trowbridge journeyman jolted Beardon with a right in the opener and bloodied his nose in the last, but in between Charlie kept plugging away.
The last time Ruislip light-heavy
Lucas Robinson boxed, he was shockingly knocked out in one round in this very ring. On his return 11 months later he got back to winning ways by earning a 40-37 win (Mr Cook) over Chessington’s Richard Harrison.
There were 40-36 victories for three boxers in Aylesbury light-heavyweight
Adi Burden, who stuck to his task despite the showboating of Middleton’s
Curtis Gargano (Cook refereed); Hammersmith super-welter southpaw
Dan Dan Keenan, who piled up points with the left cross against Slovakia’s
Ladislav Nemeth ( John-lewis scored, while Bates refereed); and Silvertown cruiserweight portsider Daniel Mendes, who was never bothered by Croatia’s
Toni Bilic ( John-lewis refereed).
THE VERDICT Couzens and Jervier are no world-beaters, but they gave it everything they had.