SUPER-HEAVY TO WATCH
Matt Bozeat highlights Mark Gavin’s impressive win over Mitchell Barton
MARK GAVIN announced himself as a super-heavyweight to look out for with a second-round stoppage of Commonwealth Games rep
Mitchell Barton on Far Cotton ABC’S show at the Cotton Club.
Bletchley ABC coach Kevin Mccarthy – a Southern Area welterweight champion in the pros almost two decades ago – decided Gavin was ready for a step up and the 28-year-old from Milton Keynes rose to the challenge superbly, handing Barton (Henry’s) three counts.
The end came with Barton, his nose bloodied and defences scattered, under fire on the ropes. The referee gave him a count and waved it off.
Barton, beaten in his first contest at last year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast when representing Scotland, looked comfortable on the back foot in the opening round, but as soon as Gavin connected, the fight changed.
Barton’s knees dipped from a right hand, prompting an ‘eight’ count, and Gavin produced a quality moment in the second to force another count.
He made Barton fall short and then crashed a right-left-right combination off his unprotected chin to have him looking disorganised.
On the resumption, Barton tried to slug his way out of trouble, but was overwhelmed.
For Gavin, it was a 14th win in 15 bouts and came seven days after he was a points winner over Dan Maree when representing the Home Counties in Guernsey.
Gavin has also won Development honours since taking up boxing days after Anthony Joshua took the IBF title off Charles Martin in April, 2016. “He walked in the gym,” remembered Mccarthy, and said: ‘I can beat Joshua.’” Gavin confirmed he’s aiming high – “I want to be heavyweight champion of the world” – and though he’s still a novice, he can punch and is athletic.
“I had a basketball scholarship to the States when I was 17,” he said, “but I fell out of love with the sport.
“When I came home, I took up American Football.”
Gavin subsequently switched to boxing and the stoppage of Barton has led to Mccarthy considering entering him in the Elite Championship ahead of schedule.
Mason Fury was the other star of the show. The 12-year-old from Far Cotton repeated a points win over Louis Hamill (Christ The King) and at times, he boxed beautifully.
Fury jabbed and moved, slipped punches and countered. The closest round was the second when Fury chose to stand and trade, but when he got his feet and jab working again in the last, Hamill couldn’t lay a glove on him.
Fury won unanimously.
‘I WANT TO BE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD’