DERBYSHIRE LOSES IT
Visitor is disqualified in the main event, while Cully shines on the undercard
FORMER pro Mark Ginley ran his second show in association with Mack The Knife Global at the Devenish Complex, with seven of MTK’S rising fighters in action. Ginley’s wife went into labour with their first child that afternoon, but he remained at the show – even helping out in the corner for some of the fights! Edison Ginley eventually arrived on Monday morning (September 18).
Derry super-bantamweight Tyrone Mccullagh topped the bill, but had to contend with two fight-week opponent pull-outs. In the end he faced reigning Central Area super-flyweight champion Craig Derbyshire in a non-title fight. Following a comfortable first round for Mccullagh, the contest ended in the second round in ridiculous circumstances.
A messy clinch saw Derbyshire crouch over with his glove brushing the canvas, however, no halt to the action was called and Mccullagh cracked in a couple of bodyshots. The Doncaster fighter saw red, and charged Mccullagh, boring into him with his head down and forcing him across the ring – a sequence which eventually concluded with the home fighter in a headlock. Referee Hugh Russell Jnr needed to physically pull Derbyshire off Mccullagh, and disqualified Craig with 1-30 gone in the round.
Chief support Steven Ward also suffered an unfortunate late change of opponent, and saw his one-sided fight with Hungarian replacement Attila Tibor Nagy waved off by John Lowey after 1-30 of the very first round. Tougher tests await no doubt for the Newtownabbey lightheavy.
Bringing a massive crowd up from Kildare, Gary Cully made his eagerly anticipated pro bow and stole the show. The heavily tattooed 21-year-old lightweight stands at a towering 6ft 2ins and was a top amateur, winning 2013 European Youth gold. He faced rugged Hungarian Gyula Tallosi and obliterated the journeyman in a mere 42 seconds. The Irish southpaw sunk two hooks to the body, his first meaningful paid punches, which sent Tallosi down, hurt badly.
While he rose gingerly at ‘nine’, Mr Russell waved off the bout to seal a perfect debut for Cully.
Fight of the night saw Belfast-based super-lightweight Anthony Upton
score a statement stoppage of Innocent Anyanwu. A quiet start saw Upton switch-hit and pot-shot the Nigerian, before the pair finally began to trade in the fourth, with Upton hurting Anyanwu to the body momentarily. A dramatic fifth saw Upton slip to the canvas, being hit and stunned by Anyanwu on the way down. Sensing his opportunity, the Netherlands-based African poured on pressure for the remainder of the round and into the sixth, before a resurgent Upton sent Anyanwu down with a long left hook. Anyanwu rose, but had his head snapped back immediately by a straight shot, and Mr Lowey jumped in to stop the fight after 2-26 of the final round.
Rio Olympian Davey Oliver Joyce
continued his impressive start to pro life with a dominant win over Ivan Godor.
Mullingar super-feather Joyce tore into the Slovakian from the opening bell with left hooks to body and head. By the third, Godor was being regularly staggered as Joyce’s onslaughts continued, however, the durable journeyman somehow managed to see out the six rounds. Mr Russell scored the bout 60-54 in favour of 30-year-old Joyce.
In his first fight since his Irish lightheavyweight title loss to Paddy Mcdonagh in June, Steve Collins Jnr claimed a comeback win. The Dubliner switched trainers from uncle Paschal Collins to Steven O’rourke following the defeat, and showed a more considered approach here. Basing his game on a stiff jab mixed with raking bodyshots, “The Wolfhound” outpointed game Latvian Edgars Sniedze
over six, with ringside judge Russell scoring the bout 59-55.
Also returning from a first career defeat, Dublin heavyweight Sean Turner opened the show. “Big Sexy” took on Cameroonian Olympian-turned-manchester-based journeyman Blaise Mendouo. A much bigger boxer, Turner stiffened the legs of Mendouo early, and the African would subsequently begin to circle and avoid fighting. Trainee referee Eamonn Magill warned Mendouo to engage ahead of the fourth, and the fight would open up from then on. Turner was throwing huge left hooks and big right uppercuts, landing heavy shots in the closing rounds, but Mendouo never looked in danger of being stopped, and the Irishman claimed a 60-54 win on Mr Russell’s card.
THE VERDICT Crazy Derbyshire disqualification overshadowed by stunning debut of Cully.