THE FIRST OF MANY
Busy promoter Tommy Owens’ opening show of the new season proves a success
TAMWORTH’S Louis Fielding returned to winning ways in the Holte Suite at Villa Park after being halted in February by Indi Sangha. Referee Shaun Messer scored him a 59-57 winner over Liverpool’s
Ricky Starkey who, this being his seventh consecutive loss, isn’t enjoying the best run of form at the moment.
Local favourite Cori Gibbs returned for the first time in 16 months and banked victory number 12 by halting the usually durable Southwark-based Italian Victor
Edagha in the second of a scheduled four. Ref Kevin Parker intervened at 2-19.
Further fours overseen by Mr Messer saw triumphs for Birmingham duo Anthony Manning and Kaisee
Benjamin. Manning proved too much for the Czech Republic’s Jan Korec, whom he floored in the second en route
to a 40-35 victory. Benjamin, meanwhile, came out on top 40-37 against Bolton’s Chris Jenkinson.
In a contest refereed by Mr Parker,
Sean Daly of Burntwood posted a fifth consecutive win, besting Manchester’s
Sam Omidi 39-37. Elsewhere, Zaheer Asghar (Birmingham) and Ellis Blake (Tamworth) secured victories against seasoned opposition. Southpaw Asghar eclipsed Lydney’s heavier Lewis van
Poetsch 40-35 over four-twos, with the latter being decked in the second by a body shot. Blake eased to a 40-36 triumph for the same referee – Mr Messer – against Sheffield’s Qasim Hussain.
Birmingham debutant Shaun Duffy was counted out with 68 seconds of the opener remaining against Bristol’s previously winless Phil Williams. There was, however, better news for Sutton Coldfield’s Nathan Bendon, who edged out Stourbridge veteran Kevin
Mccauley 39-38, for whom this was his 200th paid outing. Meanwhile, in a clash between Telford’s Dean Jones and Brummie Jack O’keeffe, Jones, who had debuted just seven days earlier, finished on the wrong end of a 40-36 scoreline. Mr Parker officiated all three of these four-rounders.