GALE MISERY
Debut wrecked by Sniedze
LIGHTNING struck twice at York Hall when, once again, an Eastern European “travelling loser” shocked a house fighter with a stoppage.
Seven days earlier, Jan Balog flattened Davis Pagan in two rounds, snapping a losing sequence of 12. This time, Latvian Raimonds Sniedze (13 straight losses, 12 in the UK) ruined the debut of Slough’s popular Danny Gale, referee Lee Every calling a halt after 2-44 of a scheduled four-rounder.
Gale roared out on the attack but Sniedze hit back – and quickly found holes in Gale’s defence. Gale looked to fight back but was taking stick on the ropes when Mr Every stepped in.
There was some confusion, with Gale’s army of fans initially thinking the round had simply ended. They reacted angrily at the official announcement – and, having left the ring, it was a few minutes before Sniedze and his people felt able to make for the dressing-room. But a steward led them out by a way which avoided the Gale fans, and the worry passed.
The other 11 bouts on this Hellraiser Boxing promotion all went the distance (one six-rounder, 10 fours).
In a cracking curtain-raiser, Michael Fonseca, a Cuban based in Southend, pipped Thornton Heath’s Richard Samuels 38-37 for referee Every.
The scoring gave Samuels the second by 10-8, courtesy of a knockdown, but Fonseca the other three for a better workrate. Samuels hit harder (Fonseca had bumps under both eyes) but Fonseca landed more often and was always willing to join battle when tagged.
Samuels tended to stalk without throwing enough, allowing Fonseca to take the initiative – but there was nothing wrong with the two rights that dropped Fonseca in the second. Up at two, Fonseca survived to the end – and when Samuels came out firing in the third, Fonseca was there to meet him.
With all to play for, Fonseca outworked his man in the last.
In the sole six-rounder Roehampton’s Jamie Carley bested Plymouth’s Chris Adaway, referee Every scoring 58-57 (which I found surprisingly close).
Adaway was floored in the second by a body shot he claimed was low – Mr Every agreed, warned Carley and gave Adaway time to recover. Sportingly, Adaway didn’t make too much of it and the action quickly resumed – Carley pressing, Adaway looking to keep his distance and counter.
Carley always looked more effective, and well deserved the win.
Southpaw Philip Bowes (Leytonstone) took referee Kieran Mccann’s 40-36 verdict over Bulgarian
Radislav Mitev. It was Bowes’ 18th win in 21 bouts, and his third in a row since losing an English super-lightweight title bout to Glenn Foot last year.
Bowes made all the running, scored well with long jabs, and cracked in a decent left hook in the third.
Two debutants scored 40-36 wins – Balham’s Ramon Perez over Warminster’s Paul Cummings (Every) and Maidenhead’s well-supported Aaron Sinclair over Bulgarian Samuil Dimitrov (Mccann).
Perez was on the offensive throughout, continually stalking his man, though Cummings tucked up well and hit back when he could.
Sinclair dominated his southpaw rival in a messy four-twos that saw a lot of tangling, with Sinclair being wrestled over in the second and Dimitrov thrown down in the third.
Rod Douglas Jnr (Bow) sustained some damage to the left eye, and was bundled over in the third, but comfortably outscored Norwich’s
Duane “Mad Dog” Green, Mr Every scoring 40-37. Taller Douglas pressed throughout, forcing Green to hold and cover up – though Green was willing, and always looking to counter.
Simon Corcoran (Wembley) boxed well on the move against Reading’s aggressive Ibrar Riyaz, taking Mr Every’s 39-37 verdict.
Southpaw Frank Arnold (Hackney) gave over half a stone but clearly outscored Russ Midgley (Leeds) over four-twos, Mr Mccann scoring 40-36. Arnold buzzed around, showing good handspeed, and Midgley was warned twice for grabbing in the first and wrestled over in the second.
Daniel Khan (Leytonstone) made it eight straight against Telford’s still-winless
Dean Jones – but Jones made a fight of it and there were some good exchanges, especially in the second. Referee Mccann scored 39-38.
Rylan Charlton (Norwich) took referee Mccann’s 39-37 verdict over Cannock’s Lee Gunter – who probably won the first, using his height and reach advantages well. But from the second Charlton’s pressure-tactics paid off as he hunted his man down and scored in close.
Derrick Osaze (Nottingham) outworked Bognor Regis’ game Callum Ide and took referee Mccann’s 40-36 verdict.
THE VERDICT You can’t write off these Eastern Europeans.