WAR OF ATTRITION
Mulcahy triumphs in a dogged dust-up against Wager
GRITTY is the word which best sums up the absorbing clash for the vacant Central Area super-lightweight title between Liverpool’s Ryan Mulcahy and Barnsley’s Ben Wager. At the conclusion of this bout at the Winter Gardens, Mulcahy was adjudged a 97-94 winner over 10 by referee Mark Lyson.
Wager may well have been having his first outing in 16 months, but he showed no sign of ring rust and afforded Ryan no easy night. Having conceded a couple of early rounds, Ben – successful behind a double jab – began to close the gap. Despite being marked below the right eye, he looked to have restored parity by the close of the fourth.
However, the balance then swung back in favour of the more inventive Mulcahy, who worked well inside, scoring with regular combinations to both head and body, and increasingly forcing Wager back to the ropes. Ben never stopped trying, but there was only ever going to be one winner.
With one eye on an October challenge for the vacant English heavyweight title, Nantwich’s Nathan Gorman banked a few rounds against Portugal’s Antonio Sousa, twice flooring him en route to a fifth-frame stoppage win.
Knockdown number one against the big-swinging Sousa came in the second, when the under-fire import was floored in centre ring. It wasn’t until early in the fifth that Nathan – in some style – completed the job. Sousa was sent down and almost out beneath the bottom rope with just 45 seconds of the round having elapsed. Darren Sarginson refereed the slated eight-rounder.
The performance of the night came from Liverpool’s “Kid Shamrock” James Metcalf who, in a scheduled six, shone against Bulgaria’s Konstantin Alexandrov. The visitor – who just a week earlier had gone the distance in Glasgow against local novice Aston Brown – found Shea Neary’s son an altogether different prospect. In the 120 seconds the contest lasted, Alexandrov twice visited the canvas. The first knockdown was the result of a punishing body shot, and the second – prompting Mr Lyson to wave an immediate halt – came with Konstantin under heavy fire.
Preston’s Scott Fitzgerald –a Commonwealth Games gold medallist – had an early night too when he went in with Latvian Raimonds Sniedze in a match set for four. Having quickly established his superiority in a one-sided opener – during which he beat a steady tattoo on the ribs of the man from Riga – he required just 70 seconds of the second session to finish the job. A huge right to the head dropped Sniedze, leading referee Sarginson to wave a halt.
One that did go the distance was a six between Liverpool switch-hitter Tom Farrell and Plymouth’s tenacious Chris Adaway. Despite being bamboozled at times by Tom’s footwork, and sent to the canvas late in the third by a trio of spiteful rights to the head, Adaway was deemed to have earned a share of one session by referee Lyson, who turned in a card reading 60-54 to Farrell.
An enjoyable couple of sixes – both refereed by Mr Sarginson – resulted in home victories. Local favourite Alex Mccloy was adjudged a 59-57 winner over Bolton’s Chris Jenkinson who, having taken a share of the opener, claimed the fourth by landing a pair of meaty rights. Meanwhile, Little Lever’s Jack Cullen made the most of his natural advantages to take a 59-55 win over Doncaster’s Jason Ball, whose best work came in a feisty fourth.
Two four-round contests – the first overseen by Mr Sarginson and the second by Mr Lyson – went ahead after the main event. Barrow’s Ross Cooksey registered a 40-36 victory over Hull’s busy Luke Fash, while Wigan’s James Moorcroft did likewise against Stourbridge’s evergreen Kevin Mccauley. The evening’s curtain-raiser also finished 40-36 in favour of the home corner, with Darwen’s Mickey Ellison condemning Middleton’s Curtis Gargano to his 39th career defeat. Mr Sarginson officiated.
THE VERDICT Much to admire in Blackpool, with prospects aplenty shining.