COASTING TO VICTORY

Dominant Parker defeats Hooper for Midlands Area honours at a seaside venue, writes Andy Whittle AFTER visiting the canvas on no less than three occasions (twice in the second session and again in the third) and having just sustained a cut below the right eye, it came as no surprise when Kevin Hooper was spared any further punishment and retired by his corner at the end of the fifth (set for 10). The brave Grimsby man was second best by a distance against Woodville’s confident and unrushed Connor Parker, who claimed the vacant Midlands Area super-lightweight title with the win. The southpaw looks one to watch.

Triumphant over six was Grimsby’s Levi Giles who, with victory already in touching distance and well ahead on my card, floored Nottingham’s Siraj Ahmed midway through the last to finish a 59-56 winner. Ironically, Ahmed had been enjoying his best spell of the fight just before the knockdown.

Making his paid bow was Scunthorpe’s Luke Fisher. He went in against Driffield’s experienced Danny Little and emerged an early victor when Little, having suffered a cut above the right eye, was retired at the halfway mark in a scheduled four-rounder.

Another making the short trip over the Humber Bridge was Hull’s Louis Claridge. In his first contest for the best part of two years, he showed little sign of ring rust in a four-round bout against Brierley Hill’s as-yet-winless MJ Hall. Claridge registered his third straight 40-36 shutout victory in no small part thanks to telling body shots.

Claridge wasn’t the only recipient of a 40-36 scorecard, as there was one too for Grimsby’s popular Tom Ramsden. In what was an often crude, yet always watchable show-opener against Hull-based Lithuanian Zygimantas Butkevicius, the middle two rounds proved closer than the scoreline might suggest. Referee for the evening on this Carl Greaves promotion was Kevin Parker.

THE VERDICT The Beachcomber Club is quieter than usual as the local favourite is beaten.