PEAKY BLINDERS
Daniel Mole sees a pair of Brummies engage in a thriller
IJAZ AHMED successfully defended his Midlands Area flyweight title in an epic battle with fellow Brummie Matt Windle at the H Suite. “Jazzy” climbed off the canvas to claim a deserved victory on this BCB Promotions show, as he defended the belt he won against Conar Blackshaw in December. It was Windle who started brightest, dropping Ahmed with a flashing left hook in the second. The champion recovered well to edge the middle and late rounds. Referee-for-the-evening Shaun Messer scored the contest 97-94 in Ahmed’s favour after 10 absorbing rounds.
The main event had been delayed by over an hour as Solihull’s Jordan Clayton required hospital treatment following his 57-57 draw with the Czech Republic’s Jan
Korec. Visibly drained from the fourth round onwards, Clayton could barely stand come the final bell. Thankfully, he was given the all clear later that evening.
Local Mussab Abubaker dedicated his victory over Hyde’s Dale Arrowsmith to his brother, Abdul Rahman, who was gunned down last year. A partisan crowd welcomed “Breaker” into the ring and he didn’t disappoint in securing a routine 40-36 win.
Midlands Area lightweight titlist Kane Baker enjoyed a rare night in the home corner. The Brummie boxer worked through the gears to score a shutout 40-36 decision over Worksop’s Luke Middleton.
Birmingham novices Brad Thomas and Daryl Pearce completed the bill, but neither got the result they were hoping for. Pearce lost to the ever-dangerous Michael Mooney. A fourth-round flurry from the Worcester warrior was the difference on Mr Messer’s card, who awarded Mooney a 39-38 win. Thomas, who drew with Mooney on his debut last year, repeated the feat against Hereford’s Dean Evans with a 39-39 scoreline.
THE VERDICT Bravo to Ahmed and Windle for their main event efforts.