THE UPSETTER
Warburton pulls off a surprise win against Morgan
BETHNAL GREEN APRIL 28 ★★★ WHOLE SHOW ★★★ ATMOSPHERE
WILLIAM WARBURTON loses more than he wins, but he’s scored some upsets – and he did it again, dramatically halting Barking’s Aarron Morgan in the sixth of a scheduled eight-rounder at York Hall.
Having lost his unbeaten record to Joe Pigford last May, Morgan came back last month with a routine win over Victor Edagha – and Warburton (Atherton) seemed a fairly safe choice for the next one. And for five rounds it looked that way – Morgan pressed forward while Warburton hit back but was generally outworked.
But in the sixth a right to the head sent Morgan staggering back spectacularly into the ropes. His corner promptly threw in the towel, but referee Lee Cook ignored it – but after an unanswered burst to the head Mr Cook signalled the end after 2-22.
This marathon Hellraiser bill saw another shock, with Manchester’s unfancied Sam Omidi taking a wellearned 59-56 verdict over Worthing’s
Max Wicks. Jeff Hinds refereed. Going in, Wicks had lost one of eight while Omidi was without a win in his last 12. But after three give-and-take rounds, Omidi took control in the second half, repeatedly beating Wicks to the punch and drawing blood from his nose.
There was a worrying end to a women’s six-twos, that saw Islington’s
Cherrelle Brown KO Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Katarina Vistica in the second. Little happened in the first – a left sent Vistica back into a neutral corner, but she appeared to have been caught off-balance and didn’t seem worried. But in the second a sickening body shot sent Vistica down face-first, and she didn’t move as referee Hinds counted her out after 44 seconds. Vistica was treated for several minutes before being able to leave the ring.
A sparkling female four-twos saw Exeter’s Kristine Shergold floor Swindon’s Bec Connolly in the last and take a 39-36 verdict from referee Hinds. There looked little in it after three fastpaced rounds, but in the fourth a left hook to the head dropped Connolly for ‘five’. She tore straight back into the attack, and they swapped blows until the final bell.
Quaise Khademi, an Afghan based in East Ham, knocked out Bulgarian southpaw Georgi Andonov in the third of a scheduled six. The first two saw Khademi pressing, Andonov countering – but in the third a right to the head sent Andonov out through the ropes. He scrambled back into the ring, but took referee Chas Coakley’s full count on one knee. Time, 35 seconds.
Ohio Kain Iremiren dropped Eastbourne’s Scott Hillman in the first with a body shot and took a 40-35 win from referee Cook.
JJ Hughes (Bexleyheath) survived a badly cut left eye to outscore Llanellibased Pole Robert Studzinski, referee Hinds scoring 40-36.
Coming back after losing his unbeaten record to Luke Watkins in October, Dagenham’s Robin Dupre outpointed
Adam Williams (Manchester) in a messy clash, referee Coakley scoring 60-55.
Andre Sterling (New Cross) beat
Adam Jones (Denaby Main) over six, referee Hinds scoring what I found a surprisingly close 58-57.
Sohail Ahmad (West Brompton) outscored Braintree’s Dylan Draper, referee Cook scoring 60-54.
All the remaining bouts were over four rounds. Debutant Dan Morley (Epsom) showed good variety and some useful body-punching, dominating Blackwood southpaw Paul Ducie to take referee Coakley’s 40-36 verdict.
Harry Webb (Exeter) outpointed late sub Myles Webb (Warwick), who put up a spirited show and I thought deserved better than the 40-37 rendered by Mr Cook.
Having lost his unbeaten record to Kirk Garvey last month, Swindon’s Sam Smith stalked Dinnington’s Darren Snow throughout, and duly took a 40-36 decision from referee Hinds.
Konrad Stempkowski (Reading) took referee Coakley’s 40-37 verdict over Norwich’s Duane Green, who was cut over the left eye in the last.
Daniel Khan (Loughton) defeated Stockport’s showboating Jamie Quinn, referee Coakley scoring 40-36.
Cillian Reardon (Dublin) took referee Cook’s 39-38 tally over Aberystwyth’s
Sean Gorman, who bled from the nose in the third.
Ryan Martin (Swindon) outscored Southwark-based Italian Victor Edagha, referee Coakley marking 39-37.
There were 40-36 verdicts for Reading’s Gelasius Taaru over Spainbased Nicaraguan Edwin Tellez (Hinds), Witney’s Bradley Townsend over Nuneaton’s Kristian Laight (Cook), Gravesend’s Sean Phillips over Lydney’s Lewis van Poetsch (Cook) and Edmonton first-timer Ryan Charles over Hungary’s Ferenc Zsalek (Coakley).
THE VERDICT Warburton upsets the odds – again.