OFORI IN FOUR
Now Jeffrey’s after Southern Area champ Camero
TOTTENHAM lightweight Jeffrey Ofori halted Hull’s Luke Fash in four rounds at York Hall, and now challenges Southern Area champion Jumanne Camero in the same ring on September 15.
Fash rarely wins, but usually goes the distance. However, a burst of unanswered head shots convinced referee Lee Every to wave it off after 2-16. It had been scheduled for six. Ofori made use of his height and reach advantages, occasionally switching to southpaw. Fash tried to take the fight to his man in the first but was caught coming in, and when Ofori opened up in the second Fash held. Fash went on the run, but was being chased around the ring.
Ofori was picking his shots in the third, and although Fash tried to move he was getting caught by long jabs. Fash tried coming forward in the fourth but was getting picked off, and then Ofori opened up to prompt the stoppage.
Another normally durable fighter, Lithuanian Arvydas Trizno, went out early on this British Warriors promotion as he was floored and stopped in the first by Bermondsey’s Chris Kongo.
Kongo made his intentions clear at the start of the scheduled six, a right to the side of the head shaking Trizno. The visitor tried to move but Kongo was simply too strong, and a combination to the head dropped Trizno. He was up at ‘eight’, but Mr Every called it off at 1-14, and Trizno was examined in the corner before leaving the ring.
Coming back after losing his unbeaten record to Yailton Neves in March, Jimmy Smith (Slough) outscored Lydney’s Lewis van Poetsch, with Mr Every scoring 59-56. Lewis probably won the last, finding the target with rights (one of which definitely shook Smith). Otherwise Smith dominated, putting his shots together and landing to head and body. In the fourth, Smith got a stern warning after landing a right to the back of the head.
Lewis Adams (Basildon) beat Islington’s
Jules Phillips, referee Mark Bates scoring 60-54. Phillips tried, but was consistently beaten to the punch, and ended with a swelling below the hairline.
There was a nightmare debut for Aaron Green, who was floored and halted in a round by Londoner Darren Gibbons. It was fun while it lasted. Green started fast, Gibbons hit back with rights, and then Green opened up to have Gibbons under pressure. Losing his gumshield earned Gibbons a respite, and on resuming he opened up, sending Green down. He was up at ‘six’, but referee Bates counted to ‘eight’ and waved it off at 2-32 – much to Green’s disgust. It had been slated for four.
Another debutant, Alec Bishop, had a far happier start, comfortably outscoring Slovakia’s Rudolf Durica. Referee Lee Cook tallied 40-36. Durica proved awkward in the opener, but once Bishop had fathomed him out it was one-way traffic, with Bishop finding the target with both hands and briefly switching to southpaw in the third.
Dan Morley (Epsom) floored Londoner
Lee Hallett in the third and took referee Cook’s 40-35 verdict. Southpaw Hallett tried but was always coming second, and in the third a sustained attack forced Hallett down to one knee for ‘seven’. He went on his bike, and tried hard in the last, but even when pushed against the ropes, Morley hit back effectively.
In a female six-twos, Cherrelle Brown (Islington) claimed a 60-54 win over Poland’s Sylwia Maksym. Mr Cook refereed. Brown had won both of her previous bouts inside two rounds, but Maksym (who looked significantly bigger) put up a robust show, forcing Brown to hold more than once. Maksym was wrestled over in the last.
Jamie Robinson (Bolsover) outscored Bulgarian Radoslav Mitev, referee Bates scoring 40-36. Mitev had a bump under the left eye and was generally outworked, though he always looked to hit back.
Jake Anthony (Ammanford) bested Middleton’s willing Darryl Sharp 40-37 (Cook), southpaw Alfie Price (Hoddesdon) beat Newark’s Fonz Alexander 40-36 (Every), and Ryan Charles (Edmonton) outpointed Bristol’s
Phil Williams 40-38 in a maul (Bates).
THE VERDICT Ofori wins easily, but Camero promises to be tougher.