HOORAY FOR ‘HOLLYWOOD’

Phil Sharkey sees Ejakpovi gets the better of brave debutant James

CHARING CROSS NOVEMBER 23 ★★ WHOLE SHOW ★★ ATMOSPHERE

MARYLEBONE’S Joshua Ejakpovi only had a journey of a mile or so to the Grand Ballroom at the Savoy Hotel to notch win number nine on Mickey Helliet’s charity dinner show, featuring three four-rounders.

In a bold debut, Bicester first-timer (no amateur experience) Scott James did claim a round (the second), but was generally held at bay by “Hollywood Josh’s” movement and long southpaw right-hand jabs. Ejakpovi picked his shots well, keeping up a high work rate to take a 39-37 verdict from the evening’s third man, Chas Coakley.

Another Helliet-managed unbeaten superwelterweight, Konrad Stempkowski, bagged his seventh victory with a whitewash 40-36 defeat of Driffield’s reliable Danny Little. The Reading-based Austrian put on a jabbing masterclass as his lead lefts thudded home, rarely missing the target.

Little turned southpaw for a spell, but that didn’t stem the tide of Stempkowski’s longlevered jabs.

Opening the evening’s action was Britain’s shortest active professional, Reiss Taylor. Standing at around 4ft 10/11ins, Taylor is roughly the same height as popular ex-pros Ady Lewis and the late “Baby Jake” Matlala.

The super-flyweight secured his maiden triumph with a hard-fought 39-38 decision over Sheffield’s Anwar Alfadli. Cornered by fellow Brummie Spencer Mccracken, Reiss – a southpaw who likes to switch – tended to telegraph his backhand blows, which gave wily journeyman Alfadli time to move or cover up.

It was good to see Nadeem Siddique in the Steel City man’s corner. At 40 years old and with injury niggles, it seems as if “Sid” will be staying on the safe side of the ropes in the future.

THE VERDICT Ejakpovi closes in on double figures in the win column.